Nani has delivered several memorable performances in recent years, but at the The Paradise press meet, he pointed to something else as his biggest achievement.
He spoke about the directors he introduced and how they are now being referred to as the “Nani Boys.” For Nani, that tag is not just a fan-made name. It represents a journey that started when these filmmakers were still trying to get their first opportunity.
“Once a director delivers a hit, everyone is ready to give them opportunities. But very few people are willing to give a director a chance with their very first film,” Nani said.
Nani has done this more than once. His filmography includes several directors who made their directorial debuts with him, including Tatineni Satya, B.V. Nandini Reddy, Anjana Ali Khan, A. Gokul Krishna, Nag Ashwin, Shiva Nirvana, Srikanth Odela and Shouryuv. Some of them went on to establish themselves as notable filmmakers in Telugu cinema.
Among them, Nag Ashwin made Yevade Subramanyam with Nani before going on to direct Mahanati and Kalki 2898 AD. Nandini Reddy made her directorial debut with Ala Modalaindi, while Shiva Nirvana started his journey with Ninnu Kori. More recently, Srikanth Odela and Shouryuv made their debuts with Dasara and Hi Nanna respectively.
That is what makes Nani‘s comment interesting.
Once a newcomer delivers a hit, the industry is usually ready to work with them. The difficult part is giving that person the first opportunity, when there is no previous success to guarantee anything.
Nani has repeatedly taken that chance.
Not every film became a major success, but the pattern is clear. Several filmmakers got an important first platform by working with an actor who was willing to trust them before they had a proven track record.
Now, when those directors are being called the “Nani Boys”, the tag carries a little more meaning.
For Nani, the achievement is not just the films he has made with them. It is also the fact that some of the people he trusted at the beginning went on to build careers of their own.
