Every character is a new challenge. Every challenge will enhance and prepare actors to play their next role better. Shri Tej has always had a different approach to help his craft appear natural on screen. He is a South Indian actor and is very good at what he does.
A person who initially aimed to become a police officer is now a full-fledged actor who is outstanding in all his films. Shri Tej didn’t get a kick start at the beginning of his career; he had to hustle and earn his place. We are proud of everybody who sticks to their dreams and works so hard to reach their destination. The reality is harsh; most hustling actors quit acting, although becoming an actor was their ultimate dream. Shri Tej is an inspiration to all of them. He didn’t give up. He had all the reasons to, yet he stood firm for his dreams.
When I questioned Shri Tej about when exactly he wanted to start a film career, he said he watched movies on the VCR. He became obsessed with films; he always wanted to watch them. His interest in movies took a major turn during his undergrads. Tej realised his obsession with films was because he wanted to become an actor. His cultural experience in college gave him enough proof to justify the same; he loved to perform and act on stage.
Situations get the best out of us; they force us to make effective choices. We must become stronger than ever to endure the consequences of every choice. Especially when choosing a career, Tej advises this generation to focus on their dreams and inner passion; a dream can help them succeed. It can become the reason we live and breathe. As an actor, one can live so many lives, and Tej has always wanted to live a life full of surprises, challenges, and success. Shri Tej tried vigorously to get roles in various movies in his initial years. He went on auditioning. He was heartbroken but wanted to work only in the film feternity.
This led him towards the job of an Assistant Director. At the same time, he had to calm his dad. Like all parents, they wanted him to have a stable paying job. His passion for acting never died!
He started his career as an Assistant Director in 2006 when one of his friends told him he would remain in the industry if he were in such a position. Tej worked on films like Aadavari Matalaku Arthale Verule (2007), a few Government documentaries, and some temple documentaries till 2013.
His major break was through the film Lakshmi’s NTR (2019), directed by Ram Gopal Varma, which brought him into the limelight. He played the role of Nara Chandrababu Naidu in Lakshmi’s NTR. He was also cast in Nandamuri Balakrishna’s NTR: Kathanayakudu and NTR: Mahanayaka.
He tries to live the life of a character hours before the shoot. This helps in the natural display of the character as though it were the actor’s natural behaviour. He mentioned that acting is like the ocean; no one can predict the ocean’s depth, and every day, every minute, we discover new parts of this enchanting art of morphing ourselves into characters in a script. The characters may or may not exist, but they are worth every penny. It allows the actors to forget who they are for as long as they want. Tej wants to grow into a refined actor to be cast in movies with potential international exposure. The competition is tough and essential; an actor must work hard to reach the top.
He says we should take success with utmost gratitude and failure with a pinch of salt. We need to fail to become challenging. Chiranjeevi and Ravi Teja inspire him. As a 14-year-old, Tej loved their movies. He used to watch all of Chiranjeevi’s interviews. Ravi Teja was a person he related to while working in the industry.
Tej remains grounded. His love for Dosa and Biryani is deep-rooted, especially for Hyderabadi Biryani. With different languages, acting can be difficult. It’s a grave task for all the actors to adapt to the expressions of a new language, especially when acting in a language that is not their mother tongue. Acting is difficult, but one can excel if one prepares for it. Tej was very careful in all his movie shoots. He prepared and practised before all his shoots.
His career got the much-needed kick-start from the film Lakshmi’s NTR. With each movie, he had to embrace a new character and challenge. He thoroughly enjoyed every small part of his career. In the year 2021, Tej acted in multiple movies: Akshara, Naarappa and Pushpa: The Rise, in which he played Pushpa’s stepbrother. In 2022, he was casted in Itlu Maredumilli Prajaneekam and Dhamaka.
He asks the younger generation to explore and make the right use of social media. Back in the day, the opportunities were very few. The competition was also comparatively less. Now, with the right media usage, one can become one of the biggest actors and influencers or anything a person desires to become. The famous person has to be extremely careful about what he says and when. This will help them survive in the industry. Irrespective of the reach we as actors have, we all have to watch our backs and think before we talk.
Shri Tej’s current projects include Rambo, in which he is the lead actor. The shooting for this film is going on. Tej is cast in a web series that will be airing on Zee5 and playing a key role in Ajay Bhupathi’s Mangalavaram. He will also be seen in Pushpa 2 in some of its important scenes.
Conclusion
We should fight to live and live for our dreams. We have to possess the strength to overcome all hurdles to get to our dream destination. It’s important to analyse ourselves and move forward. Our work should be our dream job. Every minute is important.
“A few of the first movies I watched were Bruce Lee’s movies like the Game of Death, Enter the Dragon and Terminator series. My father used to bring the tapes home, and I would watch them. I was in love with every movie I watched.”
