At Waves 2025, legendary Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi opened up about the early days of his acting journey, sharing how the naturalistic approach of iconic actor Mithun Chakraborty inspired one of his most defining choices as an actor, to appear on screen with little to no makeup.
Recalling his initial years in the film industry in late 1970s, Chiranjeevi took the stage to reflect on the influences that shaped his cinematic identity. Among them were Bollywood stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan and Mithun Chakraborty, whose performances, he said, helped guide his own path in the industry.
Speaking about a pivotal moment, Chiranjeevi said, “In 1977, I was a student at a film institute. I saw Mrigayaa and Mithun Chakraborty winning the National Award for his performance. It was so natural. He did a fantastic job. Back then, a lot of actors wore heavy makeup. But watching Mithun da, I thought to myself: I should not put on makeup. I should look very natural. People should feel I’m the next-door boy. That kind of image I wanted to bring.”
Chiranjeevi also credited Amitabh Bachchan for his screen presence and Kamal Haasan for his dance prowess, saying he ‘molded’ himself by drawing inspiration from each of these legends in different aspects of his craft.
During the conversation, moderator Akshay Kumar also asked, “At what point in your early career did you realise you were not just an actor, but someone who would go on to inspire millions?”
In response, Chiranjeevi opened up on how his passion for performing took root in childhood. He recalled his earliest “performances” – spontaneous dances and entertaining acts for family and friends.
“Right from the beginning, right from my childhood, I had a passion for acting. I started with dancing, performing in front of friends and family when I was very young. Their encouragement made me realise that I had a spark, especially in dance. Gradually, that interest grew into a deeper inclination toward acting. That’s when I decided to pursue it seriously and eventually moved to Madras (now Chennai) to chase my dream,” he revealed.
On May 1, Akshay took the stage as the host of a panel at the inaugural Waves 2025, uniting Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, Chiranjeevi, Mithun Chakraborty, and Hema Malini.
Held at Mumbai’s Jio World Centre on the first day of the four-day event, the discussion provided an exclusive look into the careers and experiences of these legendary figures.
WAVES 2025 is set to bring together influential global leaders from the entertainment industry.
