Talking into a microphone, in an air-conditioned room and playing songs on popular demand is what catapulted RJ Rohitt’s voice to fame. Now he is back in the news as his second film, Buckaasura , releases today. His first film was Karvva , was directed by Navaneeeth who also wrote the script along with Rohitt.
Buckaasura is Rohitt’s maiden production for which he has once again teamed up with the technical crew of Karvva. The film stars Ravichandran, Suchendra Prasad and Sihi Kahi Chandru in pivotal roles and has Rohitt playing the lead with grey shades. “I think I have a face that makes filmmakers believe I cannot play the goody-goody kind of a character. In fact, I am enjoying these roles,” says the actor, who reveals that his first love is politics.
Looking at our disbelief, he explains, “I wanted to do something meaningful. It was such a serious urge that I quit my job and got back to India to joing politics. Getting into politics is not easy as you need a solid backing, especially in terms of finance. If you don't have these, then you at least need to have a name -- build yourself as a brand. How do you do that? You try and get famous by working in television, radio or films. A friend suggested I join radio as an RJ.”
It was no easy task as he was rejected by almost every radio station he applied in, until “92.7Big FM offered me the job of an MJ. I was the man who went out on to the streets and connected people to the RJ at the station. One day, the main RJ quit and I was asked to fill in for him,” recalls Rohitt, whose show Nimma Stars, Namma Rockstar Jothe is currently on air. His earlier was No tension. Rohitt then decided to contest in the elections a few years ago.
“We built a team, met thousands of people, created resumes and asked them to give us a job instead of asking them for votes. It was our way of saying we need to take politics as seriously as our jobs. Unfortunately, we lost. That is when I decided to make my brand bigger and started writing stories and Karvva happened. I was also offered a role. The film became a huge hit. Now I have a nine-year-plan for myself, after which if I am still in the same frame of mind, I will try getting into politics again.”
How different is it to be an RJ and an actor? He responds, “Being an RJ is a one-man show. You plan and edit the show. As I wanted to be unique as an RJ, I decided to be a shameless flirt on the radio. Strangely, on camera, I am shy. I am pathetic at romancing the heroine, I don't think I can ever be a romantic hero.”
Buckaasura , explains the RJ-turned-actor, “talks about hunger for money. I have seen how people with money are treated. If your senses are not in the right place , you grow up thinking money is everything. That is what happens to my character in this film.”
Will it now be a balance between acting and RJ-ing? He says, “Yes, as I believe in gratitude, I will always be a part of 92.7Big FM till they kick me out.”
