RJ Balaji reveals Mahesh Babu's unknown side: 'He has a great sense of humour'

RJ Balaji recently shared anecdotes about his time working with Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu during the filming of Spyder. Known for his reserved demeanour on screen, Mahesh Babu, it turns out, has a lively sense of humour that shines when he’s with his crew, whether on set or at casual gatherings at his home.

"Acting with Mahesh Babu was a truly enjoyable and memorable experience," RJ Balaji said, during a Q&A session with Cinema Vikatan. "He has a great sense of humour and loves teasing people. But he's also very particular about focus on set—he doesn’t appreciate distractions during shooting."

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Balaji even mimicked some of Mahesh Babu's playful antics, emphasizing how well they bonded during the project. "We got along so well," he added with a smile.

A long call, a good laugh

One particular incident stands out in Balaji's memory. During the filming of Spyder, Balaji received an unexpected call from none other than Kamal Haasan. "It was during the Jallikattu protests, and Kamal sir called me while we were shooting. I informed director Murugadoss sir about it, and he asked me to go ahead and take the call. But what started as a quick chat turned into a marathon conversation. By the time the call ended, it was 3:45 PM—over three hours later!"

Balaji admitted he was embarrassed to return to set after such a long absence. "Murugadoss sir resumed composing my shot, and Mahesh Babu just looked at me and asked, ‘Was it a long call?’ I nodded, and that was it—he didn’t say much at the time," Balaji recounted.

However, the teasing came later. "Mahesh Babu invited the entire cast and crew to his home for dinner, and that’s when he turned the incident into stand-up comedy. He roasted me about the call for the entire evening!" Balaji laughed. "Thankfully, Murugadoss sir had informed him that the call was from Kamal sir, which saved me from further trouble."

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