Aug 03, 2026 6:05pm IST
Jagapathi Babu on His Superstar Co-Stars: Salman’s Pranks, SRK’s Kindness and Prabhas’ Charm (EXCLUSIVE)
Jagapathi Babu is known for his work across film industries in the South. He made his debut in Hindi with Salman Khan’s “Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan” (2023). He was also a part of “Ruslaan” (2024), which Aayush Sharma headlined. In a chat with Variety India, Jagapathi Babu says, “Salman is a wonderful person. And he has been very warm towards me, even giving me suggestions when we were shooting together. There were times when he tried to play a prank with me (laughs). We had a lot of fun on the sets, but you also learn a lot from him. I also did an ad with Shah Rukh Khan. It was a lovely experience even though we shot for a short time.”
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The “Vadhala” and “Peddi” actor shared his excitement about Salman Khan doing a film with Vamsi Paidipally. “The South Indian film industry is having a good run. Cinema is a cyclic business. It is not about North or South Indian cinema. I believe in pan-Indian films. It is a welcome exchange of talent. I recently signed a Kannada film where a North Indian actress has been cast as the leading lady. I do three to four movies in other languages every year. It is fun to learn about other cultures, and people get to see fresh faces.”
About working with SRK, he recalls, “I remember he came even though he was unwell. He told me, “I came because you were waiting for me. You have come all the way and I did not wish to disrespect you. That’s the reason I came to work today.” Shah Rukh Khan played the lead role in “Shakti: The Power” (2002), reprising the role of Jagapathi Babu in the 1998 original, “Anthahpuram.” Jagapathi admits that he teased SRK about it, which the superstar took sportingly.
Jagapathi Babu has also worked with top South actors, including Jr NTR, Allu Arjun and Prabhas. He says, “Working with Jr. NTR was absolute madness. We had a lot of fun. We spent a lot of time together when we were filming “Nannaku Prematho” (2016) in London. I didn’t spend a lot of time with Ram Charan, but it was wonderful working with him in “Rangasthalam” (2018). Prabhas is simply the best. He calls everyone a darling, but he is a real darling.”
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