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HT Rewind 2024: Teja Sajja says HanuMan kicking off the year in style is the moment he’d been ‘waiting for’ | Exclusive

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HT Rewind 2024: Teja Sajja says HanuMan kicking off the year in style is the moment he’d been ‘waiting for’ | Exclusive

In conversation with Hindustan Times, Teja Sajja decodes the success of HanuMan and other Telugu films, talks about his upcoming projects, and more.
When Prasanth Varma’s superhero film HanuMan, starring Teja Sajja, was announced to be released alongside big films like Mahesh Babu’s Guntur Kaaram, Venkatesh’s Saindhav and Nagarjuna’s.

Naa Saami Ranga in January this year, no one expected the underdog to emerge on top. And yet, the film, made on a budget of under ₹50 crore, managed to collect over ₹300 crore at the box office worldwide in 25 days, becoming one of the highest-grossing Indian films for the year. (Also Read: Ranveer Singh met HanuMan actor Teja Sajja, complimented him even after his Prasanth Varma film Rakshas got shelved)

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Ask Teja about the moment he realised his film had not just fought against the tide but also risen to the top; he tells Hindustan Times in an exclusive conversation, “Since I returned to acting (as a lead actor after being a child artiste since 1998), this is the moment I’ve been waiting for. When everything from the HanuMan teaser to the songs was grabbing attention, we knew we had hit a gold mine. But I don’t think we imagined it would cross the ₹300 crore.

‘Success has given me fear of disappointing people’

Teja acted in Zombie Reddy, Ishq and Adbhutham before HanuMan, but they are what you would call ‘critical successes’, adding to his repertoire as an actor who can perform. But things have changed for him now, says Teja, who is being picky about the roles he says yes to. “Success either makes you overconfident or gives you the fear of disappointing people; I have the latter,” he explains.

Teja admits he wants to chart out his career in Hrithik Roshan’s footsteps, but not in the way you think. “I have such a fondness for Hrithik due to Koi Mil Gaya and Krrish. No matter how well he performed after that, these left a lasting impression on me; I’m sure 90s kids will agree,” he says, adding, “Similarly, I’ve realised that I have an audience in children now. I want to be conscious of that when I pick roles. I want to make films families can enjoy together.”

But despite people in places like Mumbai or Delhi recognising him, Teja says he’s clear that he wants to cater to the Telugu audience first. “I am conscious that I am making films for my playground – the Telugu states. This is the sensibility I have grown up with, and I don’t know if I can cater to everyone else. Will I promote my films in other languages? Sure. But I also can’t be part of films that aren’t authentic to what I know or understand,” he explains.

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‘Rootedness has put us on the world map’

Rishab Shetty will headline Jai Hanuman, but Teja also looks forward to shooting that. “I can’t wait to be on that set; it’ll be exciting. Now that we know India is ready to watch our films, I want to step it up. I want to shift gears and shoot for at least two films in 2025,” he says. As for what he will do next.

Teja says he wants to up the ante. “When I got a SIIMA award for Zombie Reddy as a debutant, I remember telling Prasanth this would be the last award I get. But now that I won a Radio City Cine Award for Best Actor, I hope more awards will follow,” he signs off cheekily.

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Tollywood

Four years after her divorce, did Samantha Ruth Prabhu get rid of her tattoo with the Naga Chaitanya link? Supporters are persuaded

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Four years after her divorce, did Samantha Ruth Prabhu get rid of her tattoo with the Naga Chaitanya link? Supporters are persuaded

When actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu announced her new project, Nothing to Hide, on Friday, it sent the internet into a frenzy. Using a little teaser video on social media, the actor revealed the news. Samantha herself was in the video. But apart from the new initiative, what many fans noticed was that Samantha was missing a tattoo on her back, one she had got inked a few years ago when she was married to Naga Chaitanya.

‘Nothing to Hide’ is written by Samantha with a marker as she approaches the camera in the video. Then she walks away, turning around. Fans pointed out that Samantha’s YMC tattoo, which represented her movie Ye Maaya Chesave, was gone. “Samantha got her YMC tattoo removed,” one admirer blurted out. Another person said, “I don’t see any tattoos.”

What Samantha’s tattoo means

The tattoo was significant because Ye Maaya Chesave was the film that marked Samantha’s debut as a lead actor back in 2010. It was also the film that introduced her to Naga Chaitanya, the film’s male lead. The two began dating soon after and eventually tied the knot in 2017. Many fans credit the film as the ‘cupid’ between the two.

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But in 2020, Naga Chaitanya and Samantha split up, and in 2021, their divorce was officially finalized. Because of it, many are guessing that Samantha had the YMC tattoo erased. Others, however, hypothesized that since the advertisement was a brand promotion, Samantha had merely covered up the tattoo.

Fans had seen earlier this year that Samantha had already started the process of getting rid of another tattoo that included a connection to Naga Chaitanya. Samantha appears to be getting her tattoo taken off at last. In May, Reddit commented, “This was a matching tattoo with Chay. It means ‘Create your own reality.’” Her wrist tattoo had started to fade.

Samantha about her regrets about getting tattoos

Samantha apologized for getting a tattoo during an AMA with followers in April 2022. “Some tattoo ideas you’d love to try some day,” a fan asked her. “The one thing I’d tell my younger self is never ever get a tattoo,” Samantha said in a video that she shared on her Instagram Stories. Her remarks were powerful and unambiguous. Never, ever. Always get inked. She was smiling throughout the video.

Yes, Samantha Ruth Prabhu has removed the “YMC” (Ye Maaya Chesave) tattoo that was linked to her ex-husband, Naga Chaitanya. In a recent video shared on her Instagram for her new initiative, “Nothing to Hide,” fans noticed the absence of the tattoo on her upper back. This tattoo was a tribute to the 2010 film where she met Naga Chaitanya, marking the beginning of their relationship. Their marriage ended in divorce in 2021, and the removal of the tattoo is seen by many as a symbolic step in her personal healing journey .

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Additionally, earlier this year, fans observed that another tattoo on her wrist, which matched one of Naga Chaitanya’s and read “Create your own reality,” appeared to be fading, indicating she might be in the process of removing it as well.

Samantha has previously expressed regret over getting tattoos. In an April 2022 interaction with fans, she advised against getting tattoos, stating, “Never ever get a tattoo. Never. Never ever. Ever, get a tattoo” .

Four years after her much-publicised divorce from Naga Chaitanya, Samantha Ruth Prabhu appears to have taken another symbolic step forward—removing her tattoo associated with him. In a recent video promoting her new wellness initiative “Nothing to Hide,” eagle-eyed fans noticed that the “YMC” tattoo on her upper back, a tribute to the 2010 romantic film Ye Maaya Chesave (where she met Chaitanya), was missing.

The video instantly sparked buzz across social media, with many convinced that Samantha has erased the tattoo for good. For her supporters, this move is being interpreted as a strong sign of healing, closure, and a fresh start.

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Earlier this year, observers had also spotted the gradual fading of another tattoo on her wrist that read “Create your own reality,” which matched one inked by Naga Chaitanya during their relationship. Samantha has previously admitted she regrets getting tattoos and, in a 2022 fan interaction, even advised against them.

While the actress hasn’t directly addressed the removal, the visual absence of the ink speaks volumes. For many, it’s a bold personal statement and another chapter in Samantha’s inspiring post-divorce evolution.

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