He was a little boy when he graced the screen and made his cinematic debut. Over the years, Teja Sajja went to act with numerous top stars in Telugu like Chiranjeevi, Venkatesh and Mahesh Babu and became one of the most notable child actors in Tollywood. Years later, he made his transition into portraying prominent roles as an adult with films like Oh Baby and Zombie Reddy. But it was Hanu-man, in which he played a mythological superhero that catapulted the skilled actor into the big league. Having made a whopping 350 crores at the box office, Hanu-man, which released in 2024, went on to break records and garnered accolades from both audiences and critics alike. After having delivered such a colossal hit, Teja, with determination and grit, focused on his next project, the soon-to-be-released Mirai, which is a fantasy action drama. In a candid chat with us, the artiste opens up about the pressure of performing after delivering a pan-India hit, how he approaches scripts and more…

1.From child artist to superhero – how do you look back at that transformation? Was there a defining moment when you decided: “This is what I want to do for life”?
Generally, it’s not an easy journey for child actors to transition into lead roles. It’s a distant dream for many, especially for someone like me who doesn’t come from a film background. Honestly, even the people around me didn’t believe it when I said I wanted to pursue acting seriously.

But it was a gradual process. I spent most of my childhood on sets and like most children, I wanted to become like the people I admired while growing up. I looked up to Chiranjeevi garu, Venkateshgaru, Nagarjuna garu and Mahesh Babu garu.

Somewhere along the way, without even realising it, I made up my mind to become an actor. I don’t remember the exact moment, but from a very young age, I would hear star heroes telling me things like, ‘You’re next! When are you becoming a hero?’ They said it like it was something inevitable. I guess that unknowingly planted an unrealistic expectation in my mind.

2. You’ve done both commercial and experimental cinema—how do you choose your scripts?
Over time, at different stages in our career, our maturity and sensibilities towards selecting scripts evolve. I can’t generalize, but at this point in my journey, my focus is on entertaining the audience. More importantly, I want to create something that draws kids to the theatres in the first place and when they walk out, I want them to take something meaningful with them. I definitely want to convey something to children, but in an entertaining and engaging way on screen.

3. What was your biggest learning from working in the industry as a child?
It’s not something directly related to the work or craft. Learning the craft might’ve happened subconsciously—but not because someone formally taught me. When you keep seeing certain things around you consistently, you naturally start picking them up.

For instance, I’ve become very committed to my work, whether it’s being punctual, giving my best to whatever is assigned to me or even taking up responsibilities that aren’t technically mine. When I look back now, I feel these qualities were subconsciously imbibed in me by observing people like Chiranjeevi garu. I learnt from how they conduct themselves, the effort they put in etc.

But more than the craft, what I truly learned was personality development. I think that came from growing up around people who were 25–30 years older than me. I started working in the industry when I was around 2.5 years old and continued until I was about 12. So, spending that kind of time in such an environment naturally shaped me.

4.“Hanu-Man” turned you into a pan-India name. What kind of pressure or freedom comes with such a big hit?
Freedom — for me, it’s knowing that if we deliver the right content next time, a large section of the audience will be ready and excited to watch our films. That kind of recognition is clearly visible now and I genuinely believe that a certain sense of credibility and believability is being built in the audience — that this guy can deliver something interesting again. That is the biggest freedom and strength I carry forward.

Pressure — yes, initially there was pressure after the release. Questions like, “What do we do next to create something on the same level? Will it happen again?” kept coming up. I went through that phase for about one to two months. But eventually, I made up my mind – my next film is going to be a new film, just like my first film . In my mind, I’m not treating it as a follow-up to Hanu-Man. I’ve set my mindset to, “If I were a newcomer getting an opportunity now, what would I do?” That’s the only way I’m approaching it. So, now that I’ve taken it out of my mind that I’m Hanuman, I’m not taking it seriously.

5. You’re not from a typical filmy background. Has that made the journey tougher or more grounded?
Tougher? Definitely yes. It’s tough for everyone, not just for people coming from non-filmy backgrounds. If you look at the industry as a whole across India, there are maybe around 200 heroes from all film industries. To be a HERO for crores of people — that’s an almost impossible task, regardless of where you come from.

But yes, one of the challenges when you’re from a non-filmy background is that people don’t believe in you when you start out. That’s the biggest hurdle.

Other than that, I’ve actually enjoyed even the toughest phases of my journey. I’m not trying to glorify my struggles but I genuinely enjoyed going through it all. And today, I’m also enjoying the fruits of it. And yes — it definitely keeps me humble. There’s no doubt about that. Because deep down, I always know I’ve come this far on my own, without any backing. That thought alone keeps me grounded at all times.

6. Any moments on set when you thought, “This is surreal—I can’t believe this is my life now”?
Actually, not really. There was an unrealistic expectation right from my childhood that I would become a hero. Looking back, maybe it was foolish, but it wasn’t something that happened overnight. It was a gradual process. Since I grew up on film sets, it never felt like a surreal moment when I finally got into acting. For me, it felt completely natural — like this was my college, and this is exactly what I was meant to do. That was always the idea in my mind.

7. What’s a typical prep process for you when you get a new script?
It’s different for every script. More than practicing a character, I prefer to completely follow the director’s vision. When I begin to align myself with the director and try to replicate what he has in mind, I end up looking like a new person in every film and that’s very important to me. So, for me, the key is to read the director and understand his perspective.

When it comes to the action films I’m doing now, each one demands that I learn a different skill or art form. That’s been a consistent part of my preparation process.

For example, in Hanu-Man, I had to train for the underwater sequence. In Mirai, I had to learn martial arts and stick fighting for the action sequences. In fact, for Mirai specifically, I spent about two weeks in Thailand undergoing intensive martial arts training. That kind of hands-on preparation is what defines my approach to each role.

8. Are you someone who stays in character off-camera, or do you switch off easily?
I completely switch off after the CUT.

9. Which co-actor or director challenged you the most and why?

I’ve worked on multiple films with PrasanthVarma and I think he is a tough one. I enjoy it when someone improves me as an actor from take to take and gives me the minute details.

10. With Indian cinema venturing into the mythical superhero genre, where do you see your place in this growing universe?
I would love to humbly say that it was an incredible opportunity for us to start this genre itself and in a way, I see myself as one of its pioneers, maybe even THE OG SUPERHERO OF INDIAN MYTHOLOGY!

11: Do fans expect you to be a real-life superhero too now? Any funny fan moments?
Yes, I experience it almost every other day. Whenever I visit friends’ homes, their sons or daughters often ask, “Do you fly and come home?” When I say I came by car they ask me to fly and visit them. Moments like these keep happening, and honestly, they’re heartwarming. It shows how deeply they’ve connected with the character.​

12. When you’re not acting, where can we find TejaSajja?
At home, I’m very much homebound.

13: Are you spiritual, or do you have any personal philosophies that guide you?
I’m turning spiritual – it’s a journey I’m on.

​14: What does success mean to you right now?
Being peaceful.

​15.​How do you handle criticism—especially in the age of social media?
Criticism, to me, isn’t always the right lens — different situations require different approaches. But lately, if criticism happens unnecessarily or just for fun, I take it lightly and don’t let it affect me. However, if someone makes a valid point that truly matters, and if I come across it, I make sure to acknowledge it and address it immediately.

16. How did you deal with rejections and how have they shaped you?
There are many films I was supposed to be part of. Direct rejection was never a problem, but when they promise you that you are doing the film, then you start working on it for a while and then suddenly you realise that you are not part of it and sometimes it even comes from another source and not even the makers, it turns out to be painful. That’s happened to me multiple times and now when I look back, those are the moments that made me stronger, better and a more understanding and simple human.

17.​ What’s next for you?
Life is uncertain, and being in films is even more uncertain. So, I don’t wish for anything. Everything that has come my way has always been a surprise, and I’d rather go with the flow and accept what’s being offered to me by God. Mirai is soon to be released of course.

18. The trailer of Mirai looks exhilarating. Could you describe the concept of the film?
As shown in the teaser, this is an action-adventure film and an ambitious attempt from our team. It’s designed as a complete theatrical experience multi-lingual film. It’s an exciting ride for kids, like watching a superhero film and for adults, it offers intense, well-crafted action all while being a commercially well-packaged entertainer.

19. Mirai is a fantasy film too. How different is it from your previous outing Hanu-Man which was rooted in Indian mythology as well?
​Yes, Mirai also carries a touch of Indian Itihasas. This is a film I committed to even before Hanu-Man, because these are the kind of stories that genuinely excite me as a viewer and the ones I’d love to watch on the big screen. Even Spider-Man and Superman are superhero films but have their own distinct worlds

Hanu-Man was set against a rural backdrop, but Mirai is an action-adventure that unfolds across multiple countries.

“Rapid Fire”

1. Favourite director – SS Rajamouli Garu, Sukumar Garu, Trivikram Garu.

2. Dream co-star – Chiranjeevi garu.

3. One film you wish you had done – There are many. It keeps changing every time I watch something that deeply moves or inspires me. There’s honestly a long list.

4. Go-to cheat meal : I’m always cheating! I don’t follow a strict diet unless it’s absolutely necessary. I love biryanis, Indo-Chinese food, burgers, sandwiches—pretty much everything!