Ahead of the theatrical release of 'Waltair Veerayya' on January 13, Megastar Chiranjeevi says that it is his kind of film. He praises director Bobby Kolli's dedication. He also says that Ravi Teja was the perfect choice for an energetic role in the film.

The actor, who is remaking 'Vedalam' as 'Bholaa Shankar', throws light on several topics that interest his fans and the general audience at large.

Highlights:

I am inclined to do commercial movies. More than what I want, I want to deliver what the audience and fans want from me. That said, emotions are paramount. Songs, dances, fights, comedy and such elements are simply add-ons. At the core, fundamentally, the emotion has to be right.

Ravi Teja is as energetic and disciplined today as he was before. I okayed the project before his casting was okayed. His coming on board only enhanced the value. His character was written into the script right from the start. I am waiting for the audience's reaction in the theatre to the 'Idiot' spin dialogue.

It was great working with my friend Kamal Haasan's daughter, Shruti Haasan. She is a dedicated actress. You will enjoy our pairing.

Director Bobby Kolli constantly inspired me to give my best. He extracted the best from me. We complemented each other. Technological advances are one thing. The value of content is another. Director Bobby believes in the power of content. I surrendered to his talent. Even his father's demise didn't demoralize him. He regained his inner strength and started working with conviction. He felt that working with me was like living with his father.

While shooting for a movie, I never look at the monitor until the director/fight master okays the shot. I wait for their approval, not mine. That's why I don't develop creative differences. I give my directors a free hand. Their satisfaction is important to me.

An actor needn't retire as long as he maintains gusto and is hungry for betterment. I give the example of Amitabh Bachchan ji in this context. The biggest driving force is the love of the audience.

Mythri Movie Makers are not money-minded. They are not commercial. They are passionate. Producers Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar need to be protected. They need to make films. Each shooting day, Rs 40 lakh was spent on equipment, wages etc. We shot 'WV' for about 125 working days. Throughout, our aim was to ensure that production costs were kept minimal.

I would have wished my film to release first this Sankranthi. But then, both 'WV' and 'Veera Simha Reddy' are coming from the same producer. It's not just about the Day 1 record. If you are confident, it doesn't mind when your film is coming out.

I am ready for sequels. In fact, 'GodFather' can have a prequel or a sequel. There are 20 years of the protagonist's life that remain a mystery to the viewer. A sequel or prequel can explore that.

If not for new youngsters entering the film industry, novelty can't be ensured. 'Uppena' was so fresh. It was directed by a newcomer. 'Jathi Ratnalu', 'Pelli Choopulu', 'Arjun Reddy' and 'DJ Tillu' show that there is no dearth of talent.

Actors like Kamal and Venkatesh have played grandfather/father in 'Vikram' and 'Drushyam'. I want to play such roles, but people expect me to do dances and all! They want me to get into the 'Mutha Mestri' mode. I ask myself if I have to strain physically so hard to satisfy the audience. Yes, I have to!

There might come a day when I come behind the camera. I can't be without a job. Clint Eastwood worked even in his 90s. I am inspired by him.

Recently, the pre-release event venue became a topic of a flip-flop. The police told us more than one lakh people were expected to attend the event at RK Beach. So, they asked us to change the venue to AU Grounds. The event managers did a great job in a short time of organizing the event. Uttering statements against the government might satisfy me but I have to keep the larger interests of the producers/distributors in mind.

Bobby Simha, who has played a key role in 'Waltair Veerayya', is a Telugu man from the Krishna district. He is a National Award winner. I was glad to learn that he is a fan of mine.

The Tamil movie 'Vedalam' is not streaming on OTT. Even though 'GodFather' original ('Lucier') was streaming on OTT, the Telugu audience showed a great deal of interest in watching the remake. Remakes have a currency.

I am always asked about my lack of willingness to be the film industry's big brother. I want to clarify that I have no intention of being called the 'pedda dikku'. I am not after authority. I just want to be on the sidelines and do whatever best I can do if some concern or problem crops up.

I have always been a disciplined person. Which is why I was never left high and dry in this industry. I have always had work. It's your behaviour that brings you respect and work.

The state governments of AP and TS have hiked the ticket prices for our film. I thank them for the gesture.