"Mega"-nanimous Star of Telugu Cinema - Konidela Chiranjeevi!

It is easy to lose yourself in the hustle and bustle of Cinema Industry. It is very easy to fall into the traps of being a famous person which come with additional set of manipulative 'ego' wings that just never let you land on your feet. It is also quite silly to assume that you are inexpensive and incomparable to anyone. The magnanimity of being a star hero for more than 3 decades can crush you under its own weight, just like that.

We saw Mahanati Savitri being let down by her own personality and choices in life. We saw stardom taking its toll on great actors like Rajanala, Dhulipala, Rammohan and Harnath. They couldn't win over the vices like pragmatic Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Even Nandamuri Taraka Ramarao felt he was invincible with the star glasses to his gaze. But no one could prevail and persist like ANR and NTR, as they never "really" lost themselves to stardom and fame. They treated it all like their reward for hardwork and continued to put-in more and more as they grew, even though at times ego got better of them.

As they, how you rise up after the fall matters than the rise before it or the fall, itself. Superstar Krishna and Sobhan Babu had to work harder than ANR, NTR to challenge them and attain a status where box office results never mattered to them. Unlike some of their peers, they learnt the lessons of being wise around vice from the big stars, by observing them. So, when a man who was inspired by all the names mentioned above and attracted to the glitz, glamour of cinema with passion, got to the point of no return in attaining fame and love as "Megastar", would likely end up as - Prune and Proud?

Logically illogical brain always aides us in thinking we're different and unique than others. Star gazing and desire to be one among the stars might inspire you but the feeling of achievement would always throw you under the giant tires of your own magnanimous personality. Thankfully, Megastar Chiranjeevi never lost touch with Konidela Shiva Shankara Vara Prasad, his real name. Vara Prasad wanted to be an actor and craved to become a big name but had humble beginnings.

When he had to change his name to Chiranjeevi for on-screen, he swore to his mother, that she would never miss her child to this name. It got tougher and tougher for him to work for the giant name, "Chiranjeevi" who kept growing beyond his wildest imagination with great power to save "Vara Prasad" in him. Luckily, even life's cruel challenges thrown at him couldn't deter his passion to live life to the fullest. They couldn't let him fly away to the nether-lands of ego. He wanted this life, this fame, this gigantic wave of affection but he always knew that there were people before him and there will be people after him. But he needs to be that one unique giant among the giants, like ANR, NTR, Krishna to etch his name in the hearts of the Telugu people, how?

He chose to keep himself grounded. He never Vara Prasad lose the sight with the giant specs of Chiranjeevi covering his gaze. He lent a hand to many of his family members like Nagababu, Pawan Kalyan, Allu Aravind, Allu Arjun, Ram Charan, Sai Dharam Tej, Varun Tej and others, in their journey but always kept them grounded by his respecting nature and simplicity. No one can easily laugh at himself like him. No one can easily accept their own mistakes like him. No one can easily find the strength to forgive, forget and move on like him.

He might have been the hero of films like "Lankeswarudu", "Kirathakudu", "Rakshasudu", "Goonda", "Mrugaraju", "Donga" but his inner turmoil to excellence always kept playing "Rudraveena" in his head to see around, be aware and move with heavy caution. He always knew that "Respect Given is Respect Earned" and hence he should be called, "Mega"-nanimous star of Telugu Cinema. We wish him a very happy birthday and a long, healthy life!