300 films in 50 years of cinema, and I am still hungry for more: Sai Kumar

Even at 65, P Sai Kumar shows no signs of slowing down. Fresh off an intense fight sequence in Hyderabad, the multilingual actor, who has completed 5 decades in cinema, reflects on his remarkable journey. With over 300 films as an actor and 1,000 as a dubbing artiste, Sai Kumar has become a bridge across languages and generations. Known for his commanding dialogue delivery and resonant baritone, Sai Kumar has built a legacy that transcends linguistic borders. In an interview with Bangalore Times, the veteran actor opened up about his childhood beginnings, his iconic voice, and the lessons learned from a career that spans half a century.

‘FOR ME, CINEMA WAS MEANT TO BE; IT RAN IN THE FAMILY’
“Looking back at my first day on set, fifty years later, I realise it was quite challenging for a 14-year-old boy. I had to play the lead role as a blind boy in the Telugu film Devudu Chesina Pelli and perform a song with senior actors — it was not easy,” he recalls, and adds, “Unlike most child actors, I was lucky because my par ents never monitored me or said I should do something a certain way. They gave me the free dom to choose what I wanted to do. The only guidance they gave was to be a director’s actor and I still follow that.” Though cinema was in his blood, Sai Kumar had other dreams. “I did well in school and wanted to become an IAS or IPS officer, but cin ema was meant to be; it ran in the family.”
‘MY VOICE BECAME MY WEAPON’
Sai Kumar began dubbing in 1973, even before his acting career took off. “Despite my parents being popular dubbing artistes, there was never pressure to work on my voice. It came naturally; I was blessed with my father’s voice. I dubbed with legends like Telugu superstar NT Rama Rao and dubbed for other legendary actors like Vishnuvardhan, Rajinikanth, Mammootty, Mohanlal, Amitabh Bachchan, and Syl vester Stallone for the Telugu version of their films. For Telugu stars like Chiranjeevi and Na garjuna, I dubbed for the Tamil versions of their films. Altogether, I’ve dubbed for over 1,000 films in multiple languages,” he says.
‘FOR ME, WHAT COMES TOMORROW IS THE CHALLENGE’
“I’ve seen all kinds of failure in my own career and in my father’s. But for me, what comes tomorrow is the challenge. Even after 50 years, I’m still hungry for more, and that, to me, is suc cess. I want to win a National Award, even an Oscar someday. I’d love to be part of big films like Baahubali, KGF, or Kantara. That wish still remains unfulfilled,” he says. His plate, however, is already full. Sai Kumar’s upcoming films include Chowkidaar, Satya s/o Har ishchandra, Ghargha, Bail, and Halka Don Sai Kumar Fan, along with several other proj ects across languages. As he completes half a century in cinema, Sai Kumar’s passion re mains undimmed. “I will never retire from acting. It’s something I want to do till my last breath.”