BENGALURU: Veteran Kannada actor and Padma Bhushan awardee Anant Nag has decided to stay away from films, reiterating that his decision has nothing to do with his health.
The 78-year-old actor has not appeared in a film for nearly three years, prompting speculation about his health. Addressing the issue, Anant Nag said he is in good health and that his decision to step away from cinema was driven by his views on the changing nature of filmmaking.
According to the actor, contemporary cinema has become increasingly focused on box-office collections, budgets and commercial numbers, while the depth of storytelling has taken a back seat.
“There was a time when films maintained a balance between knowledge, education and entertainment,” he said, adding that he does not identify with an environment where financial returns have become the dominant focus.
Anant Nag had reportedly decided to stop acting after a series of films released in 2021 and 2022 failed to perform commercially. He is said to have indicated at the time that he had done enough and would not take up further acting assignments.
His absence from the big screen has continued since then, despite his long and diverse career.
Over a career spanning five decades, Anant Nag has worked across parallel cinema and mainstream commercial films. His filmography includes critically acclaimed projects such as Ankur as well as popular commercial films such as KGF: Chapter 1.
The Centre recently announced the 2024 Dadasaheb Phalke Award for Anant Nag in recognition of his contribution to Indian cinema. The honour is being seen as a significant recognition of his five-decade-long career.
