Nani’s looks and his performance are the reason why this man is tagged as the ‘Natural Star’ by his fans. Nani’s roles are realistic and relatable, which makes him more of a boy next door than the star who has arrived. From his debut film Ashta Chamma in 2008 to his most recent release Middle Class Abhayi in 2017, Nani has made himself the quintessential middle class hero. He is not loud and his action sequences are power packed, but still restrained. In most of his films, it’s the character’s intellect or his uncanny ability to escape situations that are in focus. The following are his top films IMHO -- Eega was more about the fly and Awe being more about the script itself did not make it to the list!
Yeto Velipoyindhi Manasu
The Telugu version of Gautham Vasudev Menon’s Tamil film Neethaane En Ponvasantham has Nani playing the role of Varun, whose life revolves around Nithya. As a kid they play together, but are torn apart after a misunderstanding and a relocation. They meet again as school students and break up again. This sequence repeats itself many times as they are come together and circumstances tears them apart. Might sound like a Hindi soap, but on screen it is one of the most beautiful romantic films.
Yevade Subramanyam
{{/usCountry}}Yevade Subramanyam
{{/usCountry}}This is a coming-of-age film in which Nani plays an IIM graduate who was career driven and has brought around his life with the help of his friends. From trying to manipulate a man to selling his company to living in the moment, the character arc here is an intriguing one.
Krishna Gaadi Veera Prema Gaadha
One of the characters that lead actors would be worried about playing is to be a scaredy cat. That is exactly what Nani is in Krisha Gaadi Veera Prema Gaadha. The title sums up the plot, as in essence, Krishna (Nani’s strength is his love for Mahalakshmi (Mehreen Pirzada). His journey from running away to standing up makes for an entertaining watch.
Gentlemen
In Gentlemen, Nani plays a double role and out of the two, it is Gautam who charms us. It was this role that drives the film, and it is also Gautam who keeps you interested in the script. The fact that the film begins with two women sharing their love stories leading to Nani’s introduction is a great moment.
Pilla Zamindar
A grandfather wants his brat of a grandson to learn the value of human life. So to teach him a lesson, he leaves a will before his passing which has a certain number of challenges that he has to pass to get the wealth. The challenges that Nani faces as Praveen Jaya Ramaraju is a ribtickling watch.
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