Nag’s Disaster Film Is A Trendsetter For Many Tamil Filmmakers

Sometimes, a film might flop upon its theatrical release, but over time, it gains a cult following among audiences for various reasons. It looks like Nagarjuna’s Ratchagan (Rakshakudu in Telugu) has created a similar impact, especially among Tamil filmmakers. What was a disaster back then seems to have heavily inspired Tamil directors and actors in some way.

During the release of Coolie, director Lokesh Kanagaraj stated that he was a fan of Nagarjuna’s “funk” hairstyle in Ratchagan and that it served as the inspiration for Simon’s look in Coolie. Now, actor-director Pradeep Ranganathan has also said that he was a fan of Nagarjuna’s hairstyle in Ratchagan and sported a similar cut during his childhood.

Recently, Pradeep Ranganathan visited the sets of Bigg Boss Telugu Season 9, hosted by Nagarjuna, to promote his film Dude. Revealing the reason behind his funk hairstyle during his conversation with Nag, Pradeep said, “When I was in school, I was inspired by Nag sir’s hairstyle in Ratchagan and got the same funk haircut. However, my mom didn’t allow me inside the house. Then, I pleaded with her that I would cut it after showing it to a few friends and girls in school. Now, my mom can’t ask me. So, I’m growing my hair like Nagarjuna sir.”

Nagarjuna smilingly said that it looks like his Ratchagan film spoiled a lot of youth in Tamil Nadu back then. Even he might not have thought that one of his biggest disasters would set a trend for Tamil filmmakers, and that they’d still be talking about it now, nearly three decades after Ratchagan’s release.

Coming to Dude, the film is set for a worldwide simultaneous release in Tamil and Telugu on October 17. Directed by Keerthiswaran, this movie features Mamitha Baiju as the female lead.