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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

Toxic: Yash’s New Empire of Fear is Coming to Rule the Box Office

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Toxic: Yash’s Explosive Box Office Takeover

The silence has officially ended, and the roar is deafening. Since the cryptic teaser for Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups was released, the internet has been a breeding ground for wild speculation and feverish anticipation. However, the most recent plot leak has sent shockwaves throughout the industry, confirming what we all secretly hoped for: Yash is returning to his roots as a gritty, unapologetic anti-hero. Forget the saviour tropes; this is the story of a man who built an empire out of pure, unadulterated fear.



The Rise of a Tyrant

The leaked story implies that Toxic is not your typical rags-to-riches story. Instead, it is a study of power in its most volatile state. Yash portrays a character who does not simply enter the underworld; he dismantles it piece by piece to create something far more terrifying. This is not about gold or territory in the conventional sense. It’s about psychological dominance. The protagonist is said to be a strategist who uses fear as the ultimate currency, buying loyalty and silencing dissent before a single bullet is fired.


A Darker Shade of Yash

We saw the “Monster” in KGF, but the leaked footage suggests that Toxic will feature a much more cerebral and sinister version of the superstar. While Rocky Bhai was motivated by Robin Hood sentimentality and a promise to his mother, this new character is said to be driven by cold, calculated ambition. The film isn’t afraid to embrace the “Toxic” label, with a lead who is manipulative, charismatic, and dangerously unpredictable. It’s a bold move for Yash, who appears to be pushing the “mass hero” archetype into something darker and more complex.


The Geography of Fear

Setting is extremely important in this leaked blueprint. The film is reportedly set against the backdrop of the global drug and weapon trade, transitioning from local mines to international waters. This expansion makes the “Empire of Fear” feel massive. The visual aesthetic is described as “neon-noir meets industrial decay,” creating a moody, oppressive atmosphere that reflects the protagonist’s mental state. The empire is more than just a collection of buildings and henchmen; it is a shadow that hangs over each character in the film.

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Geetu Mohandas’ Radical Vision

Many people were puzzled by Yash’s collaboration with director Geetu Mohandas at first. Mohandas is known for her grounded, critically acclaimed cinema, which adds a layer of psychological depth that is often lacking in high-octane action films. According to the leak, she instilled a personal sense of dread in the “gangster” genre. Every act of violence in Toxic is said to have a significant emotional or psychological impact. This isn’t just about cool slow-motion walks; it’s about bearing the heavy burden of being the most feared man in the group.


Forging the Empire

The plot appears to revolve around a specific “incident” that forces Yash’s character to stop following the existing cartel’s rules. By forging his own path, he creates a power vacuum that he fills with his own version of absolute authority. The “fear” mentioned in the leaks is not limited to physical threats. It is about the protagonist’s ability to be everywhere at once, knowing his adversaries’ secrets before they even think them. He doesn’t just kill his rivals; he also erases their legacies.


“Fairy Tale” Irony

The subtitle “A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups” has a chilling meaning in light of these leaks. If a traditional fairy tale features a hero defeating a monster, Toxic appears to ask: what if the hero decides that the only way to win is to become the most powerful monster of all? It’s a subversion of the genre that promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seat. The leaked details point to a climax that is both a triumph of power and a tragedy of the soul, leaving the audience wondering if the empire was worth the cost.


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