EXCLUSIVE: Nagarjuna gets emotional about Akkineni Nageswara Rao Garu’s death, recalls what he said over a phone call

Actor Nagarjuna shared an extremely close bond with his father, Akkineni Nageswara Rao Garu, who was widely known as ANR. It was the 2014 film Manam that saw Nagarjuna, Naga Chaitanya and ANR working together. ANR was diagnosed with cancer in 2013, during the shoot of the film Manam, his last movie. In an interview with us, Nagarjuna opened up about his late father. He got emotional about ANR’s demise and recalled what ANR said over a phone call after his cancer diagnosis.

Nagarjuna revealed that after being diagnosed with cancer, ANR Garu told his family that he has lived a complete life. Talking about the time after ANR’s cancer diagnosis, the Bangarraju actor said, “See, dad made it very easy. The day he was diagnosed and he went for the surgery, and he came out, he held a press meet. And he told all these people, I am diagnosed with this, I don’t want anyone to be unhappy, sad for me. I don’t want sympathy. I want everyone to smile. He went on a live press meet and told everybody.”

The Brahmastra actor added, “I knew somewhere he wanted his last days to be happy. And we all made sure. And actually after he said that, there was a lot of relief.” He continued, “He said, ‘I lived a complete life’.”

Take a look at the full conversation below:

Akkineni spoke about the film Manam and said, “Manam was a challenge for all of us because somewhere halfway through the film we knew it was dad’s last film. Because half way through he was diagnosed with cancer. We knew because the doctors had told us that it’s just months away. And the tremendous pressure we had, not to complete the film, to gift him the last film, a super-duper film.”

It’s been 4 yrs since #Manam released. I hv been thinking of how you made us cry,laugh and finally inspire the family to face life and death!! we think of you all the time NANA and we smile? #ANRliveson pic.twitter.com/XjCM1YrFne

— Nagarjuna Akkineni (@iamnagarjuna) May 23, 2018

Akkineni Nageswara Rao passed away in January 2014 due to cancer. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2013. ANR continued to shoot for his last film Manam, two weeks after major laparoscopic surgery.

ANR was known for his work in the Telugu cinema and was considered as one of the two pillars of the Telugu cinema. ANR Garu is deeply missed by his fans and remembered by his family even today.

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