Jiiva on playing YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Yatra 2: ‘I have no idea about AP politics, I approached it as an actor’

In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, actor Jiiva talks about his upcoming films, launching a music label and more.

More than a decade after the dubbed film Rangam (Ko in Tamil) became a massive hit in Telugu, actor Jiiva is ready to debut in the language. Director Mahi V Raghav’s political drama Yatra 2, a sequel to the Mammootty-starrer Yatra, releases on February 8. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Jiiva opens up about playing Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in the sequel, how he approached the role, the big plans he has for the future and more. (Also Read: Yatra 2: German actor Suzanne Bernert to play Sonia Gandhi in sequel)

Jiiva and Mammootty in a still from Yatra 2

‘I was sceptical to do Yatra 2’

Jiiva says he was hesitant to say yes to Yatra 2 initially. Not only was the role a massive one, but he also didn’t know the language. “I was sceptical because of the stature of Jagan, not to mention, I only know Telugu colloquially,” he says, adding, “While I did not end up dubbing for myself in the film, I knew I needed to understand the dialogues to get this part right. I trained for two months just to get the dialogues right and playing Jagan was something I took very responsibly.”

Jiiva on playing AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy

‘I approached this only from an artistic perspective’

The political implications of a film like Yatra 2, which paints the opposition as morally wrong if the teaser is anything to go by, and releases in an election year cannot be ignored. Even before I ask Jiiva about it, he clarifies that he has ‘no idea about politics.’ “To me, the film is all about a son's promise to his father. It’s all about how he accomplishes that. Mahi described it to me as say, Deiva Magan or The Godfather, I approached this film only from an artistic perspective,” he explains.

Jiiva on the politics of Yatra 2

‘I waited 12 years to debut in Telugu’

Jiiva played cameos in films like Anushka Shetty’s Size Zero and Naga Chaitanya’s Custody, but this is his first film as a lead in a direct Telugu film. Ask him why he waited so long and he says, “I don’t know what to say, I just never received an exciting offer. Nobody approached me despite Rangam being a massive hit here. I waited for 12 years to get a film like Yatra 2.” Adding that he saw Mammootty’s performance as the late AP CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy, Jagan’s father, in Yatra, Jiiva says, “I felt Mahi knew how to get the best out of his actors.”

Jiiva on wanting to do more Telugu films

Mammootty played the late AP CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy in Yatra

‘I grew up in Hyderabad’

While Jiiva is from Chennai, his father RB Choudary of Super Good Films produced some good Telugu films, apart from Tamil and Malayalam. “It felt nostalgic to shoot in Hyderabad because I was often here with my father, I grew up here. He made films with Nagarjuna, Venkatesh, and others. It felt like I was relieving my childhood memories. I remember people here often asking me why I wasn’t doing any Telugu films. I didn’t know the language then but now, I have no excuse,” he says.

Jiiva on what he loves about Hyderabad

‘2024 is going to be a great year’

Jiiva might not have had any releases in 2023 but he believes 2024 is going to be different. “I was shooting in 2023 and can already feel that this year will be busy. I am launching an indie music label with my friends and we’ll scout for artists nationwide. The idea is to find good talent and make great music. In fact, after Tamil Nadu, I’m heading to Mumbai and Pondicherry to look for new talent. It’s something I’m passionate about,” says Jiiva.

Jiiva on launching a new music label

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