Bollywood directors praising Telugu cinema at the pre-release events of their films in the Telugu states is not new. But Nitesh Tiwari’s speech at the Ramayana event felt different. Mentioning a few movie names and popular actors is one thing, but singing a Telugu song, that too from a classic like Geethanjali, makes it more personal.
Nitesh Tiwari sang “Nandi Konda Vagullona” on stage and spoke about his connection with Telugu cinema, which goes back to his school days. He recalled watching Nagarjuna’s Shiva in Hindi and also mentioned Chiranjeevi’s Pratibandh. He said his interest in Telugu films continued with movies like Geethanjali and Kshana Kshanam.
What makes his speech interesting is that his connection with Telugu cinema did not start with the pan-Indian success of Baahubali or RRR. He said he was watching these films much earlier, even without understanding the language. He also spoke about films like Eega and Magadheera and praised SS Rajamouli’s work.
Nitesh went on to name Rajamouli, Trivikram, Sukumar, Sandeep Reddy Vanga and Nag Ashwin, saying, “They’re all our directors!”
The song from Geethanjali was probably the most personal part of his speech. Anyone can praise an industry on stage, but remembering a song from an old Telugu classic and singing it in front of the audience gives his words a different feel. It showed that his appreciation for Telugu cinema goes beyond the usual praise heard at film events.
