Naveen Polishetty says that 'Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty' has been received as a clean and refreshing rom-com. In this interview, the 'Jathi Ratnalu' actor talks about how he has transitioned from a phase of mental stress to pure joy after the movie's theatrical release on September 7.
The actor is proud of the fact that 'MSMP', co-starring Anushka Shetty, has enabled him to prove himself as a lead man who can headline a rom-com. "I am now seen as more than a comedy actor after this movie," Naveen says.
Since 'MSMP' clashed with 'Jawan', I had a sleepless night the day before the release. I looked happy during the promotions but I was tense due to the clash with SRK's movie. I was confident that the audience's verdict would be favourable, but a solo release would have been tension-free. The US premieres were a smash hit despite 'Jawan' being in the fray. It has been more than 12 days since the movie was released. To this day, the occupancy rates in the Telugu States are very encouraging. I am truly joyful now!
Many individuals scared us saying that 'MSMP' will surely get washed away due to 'Jawan'. The positive 'word of mouth' ensured a miraculous turnaround. In the US, the show count will be increased in the third week. It happens quite rarely.
Chiranjeevi garu was the first audience member for this movie. He wrote a positive review on social media although we didn't request him for that. He lauded my performance. To be appreciated by him during our first meet was a great experience. Since then, Mahesh Babu garu, Ravi Teja garu, Rajamouli garu, Ram Charan garu, Samantha garu, and others have praised our movie.
The stand-up comedy scenes in 'MSMP' were written by me. I and my director (Mahesh Babu P) later made additions and deletions. It was my director's wish that I write those scenes. Stand-up comedy scenes have not previously worked in Telugu. I took it up as a challenge. Stand-up as an art form is sinless. It has worked in Hindi and other languages in the past.
The reactions of the audience to our movie have been genuine. The viewers are liking the fact that there is no kissing scene or intimacy in the movie and yet, the romance got relayed to the audience.
When I did 'Agent Sai Srinivas Athreya', some people told me detective comedies are difficult to be pulled off and that they haven't always worked in Telugu. Its success proved them wrong. In 'MSMP', the sperm donation element appeared risky to many because the topic is sensitive. Had the performances been inferior, things would have looked crass. The director ensured that there was no vulgarity.
My viral videos at AIB (the YouTube channel) made producers believe that they can invest in me. Before those viral videos, no producer trusted my talent. 'Agent..' wouldn't have happened but for those videos. After 'Jathi Ratnalu', pressure was there on me to try multiple films. But I decided to focus on just 'MSMP'. I wanted to prove, through 'MSMP', that I am more than just a comedy actor. I have proved that I can headline a rom-com with dramatic moments.
The father-son track in 'MSMP' bears a resemblance to my real life. My father was not at all okay with me pursuing a career in stand-up comedy. After I quit a lucrative job, he was shocked. He was mighty embarrassed. He hardly spoke with me twice in a year. Of course, he is very proud of me now. There was a time when he and my mother would avoid attending functions. These days, they are attending them uninvited (laughs).
If the director gives me the liberty, I would like to improvise and increase the joke density in a scene.
I love Aamir Khan and his movies. In Telugu, I love Chiranjeevi garu and Prabhas garu. I prefer Rajkumar Hirani's movies for their story-telling.
Stand-up is my favourite art form. I hope the stand-up scene in Telugu grows into something big in the coming years. I would love to do my bit for that.
I am committed to doing three films next. I will talk about them in the coming weeks/months when the time comes. All three banners are fixed. At least two of them are going to hit the cinemas in the next 12 months.
