Fatherhood brought intensity in Jr. NTR's acting: Kajal

Actress Kajal Aggarwal has known actor Junior NTR for a long time and she says she has witnessed lot of intensity in his performance ever since he became a father. The two will be seen in Friday's Telugu actioner "Temper".

"NTR is undoubtedly a great actor. I somehow feel marriage and fatherhood has changed him a lot as a person. I've worked with him before and after he got married. I can see how much fatherhood has changed him. It has brought lot of intensity to his performance," Kajal told IANS.

NTR is married to Lakshmi Pranathi and they have a six-month old son Abhay Ram.

"He'd always be talking about his son on the sets. He was always so happy. I think the happiness has had a very positive impact on him as a person and actor. I feel it's the happiness that has transformed into intense performances," she said.

NTR is also a great dancer and she admits matching steps with him is not a joke.

"He's an amazing dancer. He would look at a step once and get it right in a few takes while I struggle championing it in so many takes. It's not easy to match steps with him," she said.

This is Kajal's third film with NTR after "Brindavanam" and "Baadshah".

"He's only grown as an actor over the years. It's so much fun to work with an excellent co-star and that's why I look forward to work with him," she added.

Directed by Puri Jagannadh, "Temper" is the story of a corrupt police officer who gets transformed by an incident.

"I become the reason for the transformation in NTR's character. I force him to take up one issue and that completely transforms him," she said.

Kajal plays an "animal activist" in the film and she fought her "fear of dogs through the experience".

"I play an ardent animal lover but in reality I'm petrified of dogs. I played with Puri sir's dogs and became so comfortable to the extent that they looked like my dogs," she said.

Not long ago, Kajal was signed as the ambassador of animal rights organisation People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for the cruelty against circus animals.

"My character in 'Temper' was written much before I signed up for PETA. I think it's just a coincidence but it will definitely add lot of weight to the campaign," she added.

"Temper" is Kajal's second film with filmmaker Puri after "Businessman".

She describes him as a man with lot of "focus and passion" for cinema with a "great production team".

"He's a chilled out director. Once you get to know him get acquainted with his working style, it's a pleasure working with him," she said.

"Temper", which also stars Prakash Raj, Posani Krishna Murali, Madhuurima and Ali, was predominantly shot in Goa.