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Three generations. Nearly nine decades of cinematic history. Few film families anywhere in the world have shaped an industry quite like the Akkinenis. In this exclusive conversation with Variety India, Nagarjuna Akkineni sits down alongside his sons, Naga Chaitanya and Akhil Akkineni, to reflect on legacy, discipline, the pressures of carrying an iconic surname, the future of Telugu cinema and why, despite changing times, their love for movies remains unchanged.

How do you define the Akkineni legacy?

Nagarjuna: It has been a journey of almost 90 years. Cinema itself has gone through tremendous changes... But as for legacy, the passion has remained the same. The passion and discipline I saw in my father, the way he respected and loved cinema, is something I carried forward. Today, I see the same passion in both my sons. They may express it differently, but  I have no doubt that the legacy is moving in the right direction. Legacy is not just about actors. Cinema itself is our legacy.

That is why Annapurna Studios is so important to us. It is not just about acting or production facilities. It is about creating a space for cinema. My father always believed cinema had given him everything, and he wanted to give something back. He once told me that so many people come to the industry with dreams. He wanted to create a place where those dreams could come true. That is what we are carrying forward. Many people come to Annapurna Studios to begin their films because they feel that space has a certain blessing attached to it. That is what legacy means to me. It is not only about being actors. It is about serving cinema.

One word that defines this legacy?

Naga Chaitanya: Timeless. We have seen this journey continue for almost 90 years, and I see it only progressing further. The passion is what keeps us together and moving forward. I have learned so much by watching my grandfather and my father. They have inspired me, but at the same time, they have also encouraged me to find my own path. At the end of the day, everything comes back to the passion for cinema. For me, that is what makes this legacy timeless.

Akhil Akkineni: We have worked and lived very closely with each other. What I admire about my father is that even at this stage in his career, the hunger is still there. I am working with him now, and he is my producer. It is not easy, because I see how much he cares about cinema and how much he wants everything to be right. Everyone eventually finds their own approach, but I have learned his  approach towards filmmaking as a whole -- about how you take that hunger inside you and translate it into a movie. That is something I admire. Hopefully, 20 years from now, Chaitanya and I will still be sitting here, maybe with another generation joining us. A legacy like this does not happen often. We have to protect it.

Nagarjuna: I will correct that. I will still be sitting in that chair. We will just add a few more chairs.

What is your earliest memory of watching your father on screen?

Naga Chaitanya: I remember watching a lot of dad’s films when I was in Chennai. I used to bring his video cassettes and watch them. My strongest memory is of “Mass.” I went first day- first show in Hyderabad at a single-screen theatre. Experiencing that raw fandom, that love people had for him and his films, was unforgettable. It gave me a glimpse of what he means to audiences.

Akhil Akkineni: I tried to attend every first show I could, of his films. Those experiences gave me a reality check of what cinema means to people. I also remember attending Dad’s audio launches when I was younger. Walking into a venue with 10,000 or 15,000 people screaming gives you a sense of the impact he has. Those memories stay with you.

What does it feel like hearing these memories today?

Nagarjuna: Now I experience the same thing when I attend their events. Whether it is an audio launch, trailer launch or a pre-release event, the love and energy from audiences is incredible. Yesterday, we went to Vizag for Akhil’s trailer launch. Seeing those videos and hearing people scream in theatres gives me pure adrenaline. At that moment, I forget everything else.

Akhil Akkineni: Every time we meet fans, especially fans from different generations, it reminds us where everything started. It started with our grandfather, Akkineni Nageswara Rao (A.N.R). We are enjoying the legacy that he created, and we have to always remember where it began. That is something we keep very close to our hearts.

Where does the discipline come from?

Nagarjuna: Without discipline, nothing works. Not just cinema, anything in life. Especially in a creative field, people sometimes feel creativity cannot be structured. But if you have discipline and you are not lazy with your work, you can streamline that creative process. I learned discipline from my father, my teachers, my school and from watching other actors who were disciplined. I feel terrible when someone has to wait for me on set. It could be another actor, a director or a technician. Even if I am the lead actor, I don’t want anyone waiting for me. I always tell these two also, if the person leading the team is disciplined, everyone else follows.

Naga Chaitanya: I think if you love something deeply, discipline follows naturally. As my career progressed, I matured through my experiences, my mistakes, my successes and failures. In the beginning, I was lost in the pressure and the noise around me. I was trying to understand what my style was, what worked for me and what did not. That clarity came with time. As my love for cinema grew, discipline followed because I could not imagine doing anything else.

Did you relate to what Chaitanya said about pressure?

Akhil Akkineni: Absolutely. When Dad was speaking about his journey, everything made perfect sense because I have gone through something similar. We prepare ourselves to act, dance, fight, perform and face the camera. But nobody prepares you for pressure. For me, it was never the camera or a difficult scene. It was the expectations. When you experience failure, that pressure becomes even heavier. So when Dad spoke about starting out under the shadow of a huge legacy, I completely understood it. But like he said, we have nothing to complain about. What has been passed down to us is something incredibly valuable. It is like receiving a golden baton, and we have to carry it forward. The discipline and strength have to come from within. There is no time for complaints. The only thing we can do is keep finding that passion every day.

If you could audition for one of your father’s films, which one would it be?

Akhil Akkineni: I have one film that I’ve always loved, “Hello Brother.”

Naga Chaitanya: Same.

Akhil Akkineni: I must have watched that film a hundred times. It’s hilarious. You have to watch it.

Nagarjuna: It was remade in Hindi as “Judwaa.”

Naga Chaitanya: I’m a sucker for rom-coms and love stories. I think all of Dad’s love stories, from “Geethanjali” to “Hello Brother” to “Manmadhudu,” have stood the test of time. They’re still among my favorites. For some reason, “Hello Brother” has always stayed with me.

Does that choice surprise you?

Nagarjuna: Not at all. I was expecting it. I’ve seen them watching “Hello Brother” since they were kids. They played it on VHS, then VCD, then DVD. I think Akhil watched the VHS tape until it stopped working and then, he got another one. They would sit there laughing their hearts out. I still remember that. It’s a wonderfully entertaining film with a great sense of humor, and they absolutely loved it.

Was it difficult carrying your father’s legacy forward?

Nagarjuna: I know what I went through as the son of an actor who had completed around 250 films when I entered cinema. People expected my first film to be like his 251st film. That pressure was incredible. I started almost at minus one. It took me almost 25 to 30 films to find my own identity. Today with social media,  everything is much harsher. I don’t know what these boys go through, but I feel for them because they are not just carrying A.N.R.’s legacy and mine, too. It is a huge responsibility. But I believe they will sail through.

Was there a moment that changed your perspective changed as an actor?

Naga Chaitanya: One of the biggest realizations was understanding how fortunate I am. Very few people get an opportunity. When you look around and see the struggles of newcomers, you realize how privileged you are. A lot of awareness came through mistakes. When you go look back and introspect, you learn and grow. The challenges are  difficult, but they keep you conscious of where you come from and what you have been given.

Do you think success makes actors more cautious today?

Naga Chaitanya: I think that is something that happens today. Fear comes with success. After a film works, you start thinking, “How do I repeat that?” You start trying to apply the same formula because the competition is so high and mistakes are costly. Sometimes, you lose that innocence of just listening to your instinct and taking a brave decision. A film becomes successful because someone made an original choice, something fresh that connected with the audience. Going back and trying to recreate that formula film after film is challenging. Social media is also a double-edged sword. It is a great tool, but there is so much noise around you that it can easily influence your decisions. You have to be aware, but at the same time, you cannot forget your inner voice.

How do you approach film choices differently today?

Nagarjuna: For me, taking risks was always about finding my own path. When I did “Geethanjali,” it was a bold step because no leading actor was doing something like that at the time. But that film helped define my journey. The same happened with “Shiva.” Those films did not change the entire industry, but they defined my path. That is what I want these boys to do. They need to take bold steps, do things that nobody else has done and define their own journey. Whether it was the 1990s, the 2000s or today, that is what matters. The difference now is that audiences are less forgiving. Earlier, even after four or five unsuccessful films, an actor could bounce back. Today, with the competition around you, people can write you off quickly. So choices have to be carefully thought through.

If you could travel back to the 90s, how do you think your sons would have fared in that time?

Nagarjuna: I don’t think any era is easier or harder. Every generation has its own challenges. They would have to understand the mindset of that time and take bold decisions. In the 90s, I would have wanted them to do films like “Geethanjali,” “Shiva” or “Hello Brother.” Films that explored different spaces. The important thing is not just being an actor. It is about defining your own path.

Do you think instincts play a bigger role today than advice from people around you?

Naga Chaitanya: I think maintaining that balance is important. There are so many layers around an actor today. Managers, teams, social media and opinions from everywhere can sometimes make you move away from your original instinct. You need advice and perspective, but you also need to stay connected to that inner voice that made you choose something in the first place.

Did you learn that from your father?

Nagarjuna: My father only made one decision for my first film. He helped me choose what kind of story I should do. After that, he never interfered. He once told me, “If I am not completely involved in the entire process, I cannot give advice on one scene or one moment. I need to understand the whole film.” So his advice was simple: make the film, show it to me and then I will tell you what I think. You can take it or leave it. I follow the same approach with these boys. Unless I am producing the film, I don’t even know the story of their films until they want to show it to me.

How does that change when you’re producing their films?

Nagarjuna: If I am producing the film, then everything changes. For example, with Akhil’s film, our conversations at breakfast, dinner and throughout the day are only about the film. As a producer, I am completely involved. I know as much about the film as he does, maybe even more. But it is still collaborative. There is nothing written in stone. If he feels something is better, we discuss it.

Akhil Akkineni: That is the biggest thing. It is a creative collaboration. The most important thing is that the vision remains strong. You can disagree, but you have to fight for what you believe is right for the film.

Naga Chaitanya: Dad has produced my films and we have acted together. The collaboration begins right from the script stage. When he hears a script, he asks us to hear it too. The conversations continue until the release. What he expects from us is not agreement. He wants us to have a strong opinion. If you are just saying yes to everything, the process becomes one-sided. Everyone has to fight for what they believe will make the film better.

How do you see the changing landscape with theatrical and OTT platforms co-existing?

Naga Chaitanya: I think OTT is a very exciting space because it allows actors to explore things they may not always be able to do in theatres. The theatrical experience comes with a certain expectation. When audiences buy a ticket, they are looking for a particular kind of experience. But there are stories, characters and ideas that may not fit that format. OTT gives you the freedom to experiment. I would love to explore that space in the future because it allows you to break away from the image people may have of you and show different sides as an actor. Both mediums will continue to exist together. Theatres have their own magic and OTT has its own opportunities.

What excites you about OTT as an actor?

Naga Chaitanya: For me, OTT feels like an alter ego. As an actor, you want to challenge yourself. With theatrical films, there is a certain audience expectation and a certain space you operate in. But when someone is sitting at home and watching a show, they come with a different mindset. They are more open to trying something new. That gives actors the freedom to explore different kinds of characters and genres. Going forward, I think both platforms will have their own identity. It is about finding the right story for the right medium. Sometimes fear does come in. After success, you start thinking about how to repeat it. You become careful because you know one wrong decision can have a huge impact. But a film succeeds because someone made a fresh choice. It connected because it was original. The challenge is to keep that innocence alive and not get lost in trying to recreate what already worked.

Is cinema discussed at home, or do you consciously separate work and family?

Akhil Akkineni: We have always tried to separate work and family. That was something we learned from Dad and from our grandfather. Once the day ends, we leave work behind. Dinner time was always family time. We have had holidays where we never discussed films. That balance is important because it refreshes your mind. But once the next day begins, it is back to work.

What keeps you constantly working?

Nagarjuna: I believe work is God’s blessing. As long as I am working, I feel healthy. I need to keep doing something. If I am not acting, I will produce a film or find something else connected to cinema. During COVID, when there was nothing happening, I started building Lego cars. I needed to keep my mind active. Someone told me it helps keep your brain sharp.

Akhil Akkineni: We would walk out of our rooms and see him sitting there with this huge Lego model, completely focused. These were not small models. They had thousands of pieces. Nagarjuna: I would spend around five hours a day building them.

What is something you never told your sons that you would like to say now?

Nagarjuna: What they are doing is right. My only advice is: keep your passion alive, keep your discipline alive and always remember your roots. Remember where you came from. Whether they continue as actors, producers, directors or explore any other part of cinema, the most important thing is remembering that cinema is where we came from. That is our legacy.

Photographed By: Vikram Bawa | Styled By: Sanam Ratansi | Cover Designed By: Rahul Nanda | Interviewed by: Tushar Joshi and Nayare Ali | Hospitality Partner: The Leela Hyderabad

Nagarjuna Akkineni

On Cover: Double-breasted pin-stripe suit from Bharat Reshma, paired with Cos cashmere polo shirt, Nou dark tan single monk footwear and Rust Hexagon sunglasses by Opium Eyewear. The look was accessorized with the Nautical Wheel Ring by House of Shikha, the Circle of Dragon Warrior Brass Ring by Soul Works, the Agni Kadha by Soul Works, a Black Leather Cuff Bracelet and a Gold Link Chain Bracelet by Soni Sapphire.

Hairstylist: Koniki Rambabu 

Makeup: Dinesh Mal

Naga Chaitanya Akkineni

On Cover: Two button, peak lapel formal suit by Raamz, paired with Cobblus Formal Oxford shoes.

Makeup: Mansi Talwar 

Hairstylist:  Shaikh Shanoor

Akhil Akkineni
On Cover: Camel Double-Breasted Suit by Rohit Gandhi & Rahul Khanna, paired with Cobblus Chelsea boots in espresso-brown leather and Frame Montana FMT 6-3 sunglasses from Drishti Platinum. The look was accessorized with the Tossido White Tulip Brooch, the Gold Accent Band and Layered Black Band by House of Shikha.

HMU: Rakesh Naidu

Talent Management: Anusha Puppala