“Annagaru Vostaru Blends Vintage Mass-Commercial Cinema with a Fresh, Modern Sensibility” — Karthi
Star actor Karthi’s much-anticipated film Annagaru Vostaru is gearing up for a grand worldwide theatrical release on the 12th of this month. Produced by K.E. Gnanavel Raja under the prestigious Studio Green banner and directed by Nalan Kumaraswamy, the film is positioned as a new-age action-comedy entertainer. Krithi Shetty plays the female lead. In a candid interaction, Karthi shared fascinating insights about the film.
“The primary reason I agreed to do Annagaru Vostaru is director Nalan Kumaraswamy,” says Karthi.
“His film Soodhu Kavvum enjoys a cult following even today. At yesterday’s pre-release event, several directors spoke about how iconic that film has become.”
“After eight long years, Nalan is returning with this project. Usually, when a director stays away for so long, people tend to forget them. But in Nalan’s case, audiences were eagerly waiting for his comeback,” he adds.
“When we talk about superheroes, we often think of Batman or Superman. But in our culture, legends like NTR and MGR were the real superheroes,” Karthi explains.
“They didn’t just influence cinema; they transformed politics and society. With this thought, Nalan imagined a story that revisits the mass-commercial cinema of the 80s, but presents it in a completely fresh way. The film is set in a fictional world.”
Calling the film a bold move, Karthi says,
“Annagaru Vostaru is a risky attempt for me. I can comfortably do films like Oopiri, but this project excited me because it was challenging. New kinds of cinema emerge only when writers are given complete creative freedom. Otherwise, we keep repeating the same formulas.”
He adds,
“Nalan has mounted this film on a grand scale. The visuals and music have an international quality — almost like The Avengers. That made the entire experience thrilling.”
“The structure of hero, villain, songs, and fights exists uniquely in our cinema,” Karthi observes.
“Perfect mass-commercial films were made in the 80s and 90s. Even in intense narratives, we place a song to relax the audience before pulling them back into the story. That rhythm is very Indian. Annagaru Vostaru follows this classic format but is presented in a contemporary style.”
Clarifying the film’s setting, he says,
“This is not a period film. I never watched legendary actors like NTR or MGR on the big screen, but our parents constantly spoke about them. Even today, their photos are found in many homes, revered almost like deities.”
“I always strive to choose fresh stories,” Karthi continues.
“As an actor, my identity comes from my script choices. There were fascinating parallels between NTR and MGR — Tamil films remade in Telugu and vice versa. Annagaru Vostaru subtly references these connections. While Nalan’s earlier films had ensemble casts and tragic endings, this is a complete hero-centric entertainer.”
“As shown in the trailer, this is essentially a superhero story set in a parallel world,” he reveals.
“I play a police officer who wears a safari uniform. There’s even a scene where I explain this to a judge — one of Nalan’s quirky ideas. Though I’ve portrayed intense police roles before, this character has a completely different tone. The dialogues have a rhythmic flow, and the music is treated in a very unique way.”
Speaking about music, Karthi says,
“Nalan actually introduced Santhosh Narayanan to cinema. Though another composer was initially considered, Santhosh himself came forward and said, ‘I want to do this film,’ and joined the project.”
Praising his co-star, he adds,
“Krithi Shetty has performed beautifully. She plays a spirit reader and prepared extensively for the role. From her very first scene, I felt she delivered an exceptional performance. Many heroines get limited to glamour, but Krithi genuinely wants to be recognized for her acting rather than just dance or appearance.”
On collaboration, Karthi shares,
“I strongly believe in teamwork. We discuss scenes with the director even moments before shooting. Once I get into a character, I naturally understand how he should think, speak, or behave, and I share those inputs.”
He also acknowledges the producer’s support:
“Producer Gnanavel Raja has been a massive pillar of strength. Whatever the film required, he ensured it was provided. Creating the unique world of Annagaru Vostaru wouldn’t have been possible without his backing.”
“Whenever someone attempts something new, the audience must support it,” Karthi emphasizes.
“Otherwise, filmmakers hesitate to take bold risks. If a film like Satyam Shivam Sundaram hadn’t been appreciated, would anyone have dared to make something similar again?”
Concluding on a personal note, he says,
“I’m very happy that Akhanda 2 has been confirmed, and I’m eagerly looking forward to it. I’ve always admired K. Viswanath garu’s films — the emotions and character portrayals in his work are truly timeless.”