Rangamarthanda: Chiranjeevi’s shayari Nenoka Natudni captures the idiosyncrasies in an actor’s life

What does it mean to be an actor? What does it mean to step into the shoes of various roles, don the grease paint day after day? What does it mean to experience pathbreaking highs and soul-crushing lows? Who better than Chiranjeevi to say it all? Confused? We’re talking about Nenoka Natudni, a shayari from director Krishna Vamsi’s upcoming film Rangamarthanda, rendered by Chiranjeevi himself and composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The shayari was launched earlier today.

In what appears to be an autobiographical take on the life of an actor, Chiranjeevi’s dense voice is an asset to Nenoka Natudni. Penned by Lakshmi Bhupal, the shayari is a poignant exploration of an artiste’s psyche and his wide range of experiences in a long-drawn career. While life on screen/stage is flashy and colourful, the other side of it has the actor having to deal with uncertainty, disappointment and rejection.

Nenoka Natudni beautifully emphasises that life isn’t a bed of roses for an actor. Here, he’s referred to as a magician, emperor of the navarasas, a ‘Brahma’ of the moment, an Indra alongside damsels, who switches between sets, and roles effortlessly and is gifted with the power to make audiences cry, laugh and plant a thought. Most importantly, it discusses how humans may come and leave, but an actor stays immortal.

Rangamarthanda, the remake of the Marathi film Nata Samrat, revolves around the life of a veteran theatre artist, who experiences conflicts with his profession and his family post-retirement. The film stars Prakash Raj, Ramya Krishna, Brahmanandam, Shivathmika Rajashekar, Rahul Sipligunj and Ali Reza in important roles.