Kannada actor Anant Nag reveals he chose acting due to academic struggles; thanks audiences for his 50-year career

Actors Anant Nag and Supriya Pathak in Shyam Benegal’s Kalyug. (Express archive photo)

“Those days, failures were told by teachers and family to become actors. It was considered a profession for those who could do nothing else. I got a break in theatre and felt destiny had ushered me on stage,” Anant said during a recent chat with The Hindu.

Mentioning that though he was terrified initially, Anant said he gradually began discovering himself and his lost confidence. He also noted that theatre helped him significantly, where he performed in 50 plays in just five years.

“I enjoyed acting because though my personal life was miserable, I could be anyone on stage. Gradually, film offers started pouring in,” he recalled.

Likening entering the world of cinema to embarking on a one-way journey, Anant noted that once you become a part of it, the industry ends up consuming you and there’s no turning back.

Anant Nag with directors Shyam Benegal and Govind Nihalani on the location of Benegal’s Manthan. (Express archive photo)

When discussing how he sustained his success over the last five decades, Anant emphasised that the audience’s love was just as vital as his own efforts. “They made my films a success.” He also acknowledged the crucial contributions of directors, producers, and, writers. “They wrote specific roles for me and I am grateful to each one of them,” he added.

Recalling how, in the 90s, he got bored with his roles, Anant said: “I was questioning myself — what was I doing? Why was I repeating the success formula over and over again?”

The actor noted that this was when he started exploring comedy. “I also did a lot of dark comedy in films such as Udbhava, Yaarigu Helbedi where I explored negative characters with shades of humour,” he added.

Addressing comparisons between himself and Amitabh Bachchan, the Kannada legend pointed out that this was unjust to Amitabh Bachchan. “He is a legend and has done more work than me. He puts in the same passion for a three-hour film or a 15-second advertisement, which I am incapable of. He is a terrific brand and is from the Hindi film industry, which has a larger reach. However, comparing me to him is the people’s verdict, and I humbly accept this honour,” Anant added.

Anant Nag with actor Sonali Bendre (centre) on the sets of Amol Palekar’s Anahat. (Express archive photo)

After his phenomenal performance as the narrator in Prashanth Neel’s Yash-starrer KGF: Chapter 1, Anant Nag became a national sensation yet again.

He appeared in four films last year, Gaalipata 2, Thimayya & Thimayya, Vijayanand and Made in Bengaluru. Anant is currently gearing up for the release of the sci-fi action film Mandala: The UFO Incident.