Ye Maaya Chesave, Manam, Love Story, and now Thandel: Naga Chaitanya's Best Performances

Debuted with Josh with a lot of expectations from fans of Tollywood’s two biggest families - Akkineni and Daggubai, Naga Chaitanya’s cinematic career has been a tumultuous ride. There were more misses than hits and he is navigating where he fits as a Tollywood hero. 

Despite his misses, one thing is clear. Every time Naga Chaitanya made a compelling love story, he scored a hit. It started with Gautam Vasudev Menon’s Ye Maaya Chesave and continues to date with Chandoo Mondeti’s Thandel. The film, released worldwide today, has received widespread applause from fans and critics alike. Devi Sri Prasad’s music and Sai Pallavi’s natural acting have been credited alongside Naga Chaitanya’s sincere efforts. 

Excelled every time in the subdued portrayal of acting, Chaitanya utilizes that quality to the core in Thandel and his efforts to improve and get registered as an honest actor are visible in the movie. With positive word of mouth, Thandel is all set to be a memorable film in the actor’s career. 
Now, let us take a closer look at some of his best performances as an actor besides Thandel. 

Ye Maaya Chesave 

Gautam Vasudev Menon’s heroes have an attractive quality to them. They are not the textbook definition of the word “macho” and Chaitanya’s portrayal as an aspiring film-maker Karthik in the movie fits the bill perfectly. Coupled with AR Rahman’s music, the movie is deemed a classic for the chemistry between Naga Chaitanya and Samantha. Their sizzling charm is one of the major reasons for the movie to work big time and despite inconsistent dialogue delivery at times, Chaitanya passed off as Karthik with flying colors. 

Manam 

Another movie with Samantha in the lead is Naga Chaitanya’s portrayal as a middle-class husband struggling to find peace in marriage to his wife Priya, played by Samantha. Once again, Naga Chaitanya proved that he will be at his A-game while portraying drama in relationships on-screen. The movie worked big time and it will be a memorable movie to cherish for the Akkineni family. 

Love Story

Sekhar Kammula and Sai Pallavi got a lot of credit for the success of this film and deservedly so, but Naga Chaitanya as Revanth must also be lauded for his sincere depiction of a young man from the underprivileged class. Director Sekhar Kammula’s influence on Chaitanya was evident throughout and the actor’s magic lies in adapting himself to the filmmaker’s needs. All in all, Chaitanya projected himself as a bankable hero with the success of this film. 

100% Love 

Clearly, Naga Chaitanya has a strong affinity towards love stories and when a quirky director like Sukumar adds his wonderfully weird touch to a simple romantic tale, the result is 100% Love. The movie has got everything - egos, cat-fights, fight to be no.1, and tears too. Add Devi Sri Prasad’s perfect songs to the mix and the result is a hit. Chaitanya’s portrayal as Balu, a nerd who is obsessed with studies and grades, was received well by audiences and fans alike.