Actor Karthi delivered a passionate speech at the pre-release event for his upcoming film, Annagaru Vostaru, setting the stage for a unique cinematic experience that pays homage to the golden era of South Indian cinema.
Karthi highlighted the film's central theme of "hero worship", emphasizing that the narrative explores the deep admiration fans hold for their cinematic icons. He echoed his co-star Krithi Shetty's sentiment that the director, Nalan Kumarasamy, has crafted the movie as a sincere tribute to 70s and 80s mass commercial cinema.
The actor questioned the conventional definition of a superhero, arguing that the need for a superhero-like figure in the film's story was perfectly met by legendary figures from Indian cinema and politics.
"Why should superheroes be only Batman or Superman? In our culture, we already had NTR and MGR—people who changed cinema, politics, and society... They rose from humble beginnings to become legends—they are our superheroes," the Sathyam Sundaram star stated. Annagaru Vostaru, Karthi revealed, imagines what it would be like if such heroes emerged again in the present day, with the story set in a fictional world.
Karthi expressed his privilege in taking on such a "grand role," calling the project a "challenging film" that pushes him to the next level as an actor. He voiced his confidence in his performance, saying, "I believe I acted well. I’m sure you will love the film." He also acknowledged the significance of the project, noting that this is Nalan Kumarasamy’s first film after an eight-year gap, and shared his observation of the immense respect Telugu directors have for the filmmaker.
Annagaru Vostaru will be released in theatres on December 12th.