Vinnod is the son of the late actor Tiger Prabhakar, who was also known as ‘Kannada Prabhakar’. The 36-year-old not only looks like his father but also sounds so much like him that he is called ‘Mari Tiger’ (Tiger cub). Though he has been in the industry for years, it was films like Navagraha and Krack that helped him break free from the shadows of his father. He has been able to create his own identity as an actor, comedian and dancer. Krack , which released on September 15, has been received well by the audience. And Vinnod has finally emerged.
The actor talks to Metroplus about his dreams and aspirations, trials and tribulations and his long years of perseverance and patience.
Excerpts:
The title of the film Krack sounds negative. What would you say about it?
It is called so simply because of the erratic character I portray. He is a police officer who is moody. That is why everyone calls him ‘Krack’. If one moment he is serious, the next he is comical. And, he is addressed so throughout the film.
Did you ever feel overshadowed by your father’s screen presence?
Yes, of course. It took me 14 long years to be known as Vinnod and not as a clone of Tiger Prabhakar. I won’t say it is bad. He is a legend and has acted in over 500 films in five languages. But as I look and sound so much like him, there is always a lot of comparison.
I don’t imitate him anywhere, yet, people have taken him so much into their minds, that no matter what I do, they always feel I copy him. I was not able to get out of that and had to work hard to be accepted as Vinnod.
How has Krack helped you?
I have grown as an actor with Krack . I believe my acting, dancing and fighting skills have improved too. My father was never portrayed as a dancer. But I have been accepted as one now. People should take Tiger out of their minds to watch Vinnod. We are two different personalities.
Your foray into films...
I never wanted to be in the industry, nor did I want to be an actor. Even my father disliked the idea of me acting. I had completed my engineering and worked in an electronics company. It was only after he passed away that a few of his close friends pulled me into films.
I had no clue about acting or the film world. I felt like a fish out of water. I would say it was my inborn talent that kept me afloat. I was more into fight scenes then and had no clue how to portray myself on screen. When I first saw myself on screen, my spirit was crushed. That was not how I wanted to see myself. It was just not me. I wanted to stop it all. People even said I had disgraced my father’s name. So I took it up as a challenge to show them I was very different from Tiger. I also had commitments. So, I took up any role that came my way and ended up doing bad films, which flopped horribly.
Did films like Hori and Navagraha change your situation?
Yes, they did. Navagraha was a film where children of the villains of the 70s acted together. It was an ode to them. That is where I was noticed as a powerful actor. There were seven heroes, including Darshan, Srujan Lokesh, Nagendra RS and others. I become a hero in that film and Darshan’s role had a negative streak to it. The film clicked. Then I took a long break and came back with Hori in 2011, three years after Navagraha . That film fared well in Uttara Karnataka and finally came Tyson and then Krack .
Why did Tiger not want you to come into film?
He had gone through a lot in this industry. It was a life of a constant struggle. Acting is not a cakewalk. It is a fantasy world on screen, but in reality we are fighting with our own emotions and ourselves all the time.
Do you feel you have any responsibility as an actor when you portray a character on screen?
Yes, we have to set an example with the roles we portray and the life we lead in reality.At the same time, I can’t let my producer down. So, I try and bring in a balance. Today, people are so knowledgeable with so much information around them. They don’t want to be taught through films but just want to be entertained. So cinema has also become an entertainment business.
Ever thought of direction?
I think I have a knack to be a director. I have a fascination for the lights and camera thanks to my technical background. I also look forward to producing films.
Plans for the future?
The one that tops my list is to help newcomers. I don’t want them to go through what I have. There should be a live support, who will guide and nurture them and their dreams.
Any message for aspiring actors?
It is not easy to be an actor. Acting is not just about putting on make-up and romancing girls or fighting the bad man. There is nothing glamorous about the workings behind the screen. In fact, it involves a lot of grit, pain and sweat that goes into every scene that you watch on screen. It takes more than just passion to sustain yourself in this industry.
