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'Doing Shirdi Sai was a spiritual experience'

The subject of Shirdi Sai is the saint who made Shirdi his home. Produced by A Mahesh Reddy, the film is directed by K Raghavendra Rao.

For Nagarjuna, who plays the Sai Baba, this will be his third devotional film after Annamayya and Sri Ramadasu where he played the role of a bhakta.

Parachuri Venkateswara Rao said at the first press conference that the shoot of the film began in Badami and only a small bit is left to be shot which will be done on July 26 at Shirdi.

"There was a 'holy' atmosphere on the sets. Nagarjuna looked like the real Shirdi Sai Baba," he said.

Producer Mahesh Reddy, who is in the infrastructure and mining business, is an ardent devotee of Sai Baba.

He said, "Everyone visits Shirdi. He is Kaliyuga Daivam. We didn't think we would get Rao, Keeravani and Nagarjuna. During the shoot spread over 60 days, the atmosphere was disciplined. We shot from 7 am to 5 pm.

"Nagarjuna is excellent. Keeravani has done an excellent job composing the songs. Gopal Reddy's camera work is good."

'I didn't know much about Sai Baba till recently'

Music composer M M Keeravani said, "Normally I wave and shake hands with Nagarjuna, but after seeing him as Shirdi Sai, I felt like doing namaste! Baba's blessings are there. The audio will be launched on July 30. There are 13 songs, two bit songs and a bhajan."

Nagarjuna said Baba entered his life suddenly. "I didn't know much about Baba till recently. After I got some pictures and idols, I felt like going to Shirdi, and I went. It's only after coming back from Shirdi that Raghavendra Rao garu told me about the project. Ever since, Baba has come in some form, or may be I see him continuously on buses, autos, temples etc."

"Normally I have had some hurdles in my film shoots. In the Shirdi Sai shoot, there were no hassles and everything went smoothly. Keeravani's music made my job easier. I knew what to do. Doing this film was a spiritual experience."

Sharad Babu, Srikkanth and Kamalinee Mukherjee are also part of the cast.

Shirdi Sai is expected to release on September 6, 2012.