Exclusive: Mahesh Babu on Mahesh Khaleja

There is enough excitement all around as Mahesh Babu is back after a gap of almost three years.

The actor has joined hands with writer-director Trivikram Srinivas for his forthcoming Telugu film Mahesh Khaleja which releases on October 7.

Mahesh, who is invariably known to be a shy and reticent star is excited and confident about his latest film and has of late been giving regular updates on Twitter. He also unveiled the logo of Mahesh Khaleja on the micro-blogging site.

In this excluisve interview to rediff.com, he gives a lowdown on Mahesh Khaleja and what made him take the break.Excerpts:

It's been almost three years since we last saw you on the big screen. Why did you take such a long break? Was it because you were not getting scripts which excited you?

The break wasn't intentional. I was working on Khaleja which took two years to complete. Parallely I lost my in-laws and my grandmother which shook me up. So I would say it was a series of things and events and hence the delay.

What made you choose Trivikram's script?

Trivikram and I have a great on and off screen releationship. He is a very close friend and we work very well together. My tuning with him as an actor as well as a director is terrific.

How was it working with Trivikram again?

He understands me as an actor totally and uses it to the maximum potential. He always pushes the envelope with me and which is why we always come up with some great stuff.

Tell us more about Mahesh Khaleja?

I can't really tell you the story here, but all I can say is that the characterisation of the hero is very unique, very different from what I've done so far. I am really excited about it as it has turned out very well. I am sure everyone will love it.

What was challenging about Mahesh Khaleja? You shot the film in various locales...

Well, the film was shot extensively in Rajasthan and Hyderabad. We shot two songs in Mumbai. The most challenging part was the extreme temperatures of Rajasthan as we shot in peak summer and an action episode at that. So it was difficult and at the same time extremely challenging not just for me but for the whole crew. I have worked for the first time with Ahmed and Prem Rakshit as dance directors, and it was a great experience.

This is the first time you are paired with Anushka. How was she as a co-star?

Anushka and I worked very well together. She's an extremely grounded girl for the kind of success she has seen, and I can safely say after seeing the footage of the film that we look very good together.

The audio of the film was released at Radio Mirchi sans the fanfare normally associated with audio releases. Why was it such a simple affair?

Audio release at a radio station was something different from the usual and it worked. So we are happy about it.

Mahesh Khaleja is a big budget film. What would you like to say about your producers?

C Kalyan has been amazing and totally committed as a producer.

Will Mahesh Khaleja satisfy your fans who have been waiting desperately for three years?

Well, I have tried my best to come up with something different in this film, and I am hoping that all my fans will like my performance. And as I said earlier, my characterisation in this film is unique.

You have signed Seenu Vytla's Dookudu with Samantha. What made you sign the film?

Seenu Vytla's film has a super script. Samantha is cast opposite me. I'm looking forward to starting the film soon after the release of Mahesh Khaleja.

On what basis do you sign a film?

First and foremost, I look for a great script. Then, the team that I am working with. Only then, we will be able to come up with a good film.

Will you be doing more films now?

Yes, I'm planning to do two films a year. Hopefully it will work out well.