Jagapathi Babu's candid take on Sukumar: 'He can't narrate a story'

In a refreshingly honest interview that's setting social media ablaze, veteran actor Jagapathi Babu has shared some eye-opening insights about working with Sukumar: and they paint a picture that's both amusing and revealing about one of Telugu cinema's most celebrated directors.

Jagapathi's observations are striking in their candor. He reveals that during the narration for 'Nannaku Prematho', Sukumar simply couldn't get through a proper story pitch. "He tried to explain something, but eventually gave up and said 'Sir, you just do it,' and I agreed," Jagapathi recalls with evident amusement. The fact that the actor signed on without hearing the complete story speaks volumes about the trust Sukumar commands in the industry.

The pattern repeated itself during 'Rangasthalam'. According to Jagapathi, Sukumar arrived for the narration after an hour of yoga: perhaps hoping meditation would help his storytelling abilities. It didn't work. The entire pitch boiled down to: "Sir, you're the president sir, no shirt sir, just a towel sir, it'll look great sir." When pressed for the basic storyline, Sukumar's response remained the same: "It'll be good sir." The whole narration wrapped up in ten minutes.

This revelation offers a fascinating glimpse into the working style of a director who has redefined storytelling in Telugu cinema with films like 'Arya', '1: Nenokkadine', and the 'Pushpa' franchise. It's almost paradoxical: a filmmaker who struggles with verbal narration but creates some of the most layered, emotionally complex narratives on screen.

What this really highlights is Sukumar's unique creative process. He's clearly a director who thinks visually, who develops his stories during the filmmaking process rather than having everything locked in a traditional script. This approach explains both his reputation for taking time with projects and the extraordinary depth his final products achieve.

Jagapathi's comments, while playfully critical, ultimately underscore the industry's respect for Sukumar's vision. The fact that actors are willing to commit to his projects based on faith alone says everything about his track record and the trust he's built over nearly two decades in the industry.