The Itlu Arjuna Musical Concert in Hyderabad turned into a grand celebration of the debut film. King Nagarjuna, Mega Power Star Ram Charan and Akhil Akkineni attended as chief guests, and all of them had high praise for debutant hero Aniesh.
Presented by Nagarjuna, Itlu Arjuna stars Aniesh and Anaswara Rajan, and releases worldwide on November 13.
Ram Charan: “Bigger Than Rangasthalam”
Ram Charan made the biggest statement of the evening, comparing Aniesh’s role to one of his own most celebrated performances.
“I played a deaf character in Rangasthalam. I want Aniesh to get an even bigger success with Itlu Arjuna than Rangasthalam was. This film will definitely be a blockbuster,” he said.
“Ten Times Better Than Me”
Ram Charan revealed that Aniesh had shown him a few scenes from the film, and he was blown away.
“I don’t know how I did in my first film, but he has done ten times better than me. He did every scene brilliantly. Even though he plays a mute character, he has expressed all the navarasas. You can only do that with pure acting. He definitely has a very big future,” he said.
He also thanked Aniesh’s parents for their support, and praised Nagarjuna for always encouraging new talent. “With support like Nagarjuna garu’s, nothing can go wrong,” he said.
A Kaaka Revelation
Ram Charan also shared a big update about heroine Anaswara Rajan. He revealed that she plays a very important role in Megastar Chiranjeevi’s Kaaka, which releases for Sankranti.
“Anaswara will get a blockbuster with Itlu Arjuna, and another blockbuster with Kaaka for Sankranti. Write this down,” he said.
Praise for Thaman
Ram Charan also praised music director Thaman for giving his best to every film, big or small.
“Whether it’s Pawan Kalyan garu’s OG or Aniesh’s Itlu Arjuna, Thaman gives the same kind of music. He doesn’t look at whether it’s a big hero or a small hero,” he said.
Nagarjuna: “Our Elder Son Tarak”
Nagarjuna thanked NTR, who launched the film’s trailer but couldn’t attend the event, warmly calling him “our elder son Tarak”.
He also revealed that he had questioned Aniesh’s choice of role at first. “He asked me to do the voiceover for the glimpse. He plays a mute character, and I asked him if he really needed to take such a challenging role for his first film. It took Ram Charan ten years to play a deaf role, and Akhil played a blind character in his sixth film,” he said.
But after watching the film, Nagarjuna was convinced. “I was really surprised. Aniesh completely got into the role. He talks with his eyes, and his silence is very powerful. I’m very confident about this film,” he said.
Akhil: “A Very Commercial Film”
Akhil Akkineni said he was surprised when he first heard about a hero doing a film without dialogues. “I wondered how they were going to pull it off. I’ve seen the film, and Aniesh has done a fantastic job. It’s a very commercial film, and it will be great in theatres,” he said.
He added that Thaman had given the film music as good as he gave Akhil’s own Lenin.
Aniesh: “Arjun Can’t Speak, but His Love Will Be Heard”
Aniesh thanked Akkineni fans and Mega fans, along with Nagarjuna, Ram Charan, Akhil and NTR.
“Charan anna is my favourite. As an actor, he inspires me a lot,” he said. “This is my first film. I have a lot to learn and a long way to go. Arjun may not be able to speak, but his love will be heard by all of you.”
NTR’s Praise
Producer Ravi Shankar revealed that NTR had praised the film after watching it. “NTR garu said it will be a film that Telugu cinema remembers for a long time,” he said.
Dil Raju Backs the Film
TFDC Chairman and producer Dil Raju thanked Nagarjuna for introducing new directors and heroes, and said Aniesh didn’t look like a newcomer at all.
Venky Kudumula: “Everyone Said It Was a Risk”
Producer and director Venky Kudumula said many people called the film a risk when they first heard about it.
“Nagarjuna garu is the hero who took the most risks in his career. Because he took those risks, we got a classic like Siva,” he said. He added that Ram Charan stepping into cinema to carry forward Chiranjeevi’s legacy was also a big risk.
Itlu Arjuna: Key Details
- Hero: Aniesh (debut)
- Heroine: Anaswara Rajan
- Director: Mahesh Uppala (debut)
- Producer: Venky Kudumula (What Next Entertainments)
- Presenter: Nagarjuna
- Music: Thaman S
- Release Date: November 13
