Vijay Devarakonda happened to Telugu cinema just when we wanted him. Yevade Subramanyam , Pelli Choopulu and Arjun Reddy brought about a change in the writing of scripts and he as an actor is not worried about his image. He is being beautifully moulded by the directors for their respective characters. The actor talks with an infectious enthusiasm about his craving for fantastic roles and is confident that his films Taxiwallah and another by director Parasuram will wow the audiences. He is also happy being part of Mahanati and says life can’t get more interesting.
You now have a whole lot of fans, including children...
I think teens saw bits of themselves in the character of Arjun Reddy but I am wondering why kids liked the film , when they are not allowed to see it; I can’t figure out what is it about the film they found fascinating. I’ll probably do a film for children soon. Taxiwallah is a fun film they can watch though.
Is the pressure too much to handle?
Everyone from my producers to my friends, family, journalists and even my watchman say ‘ mee meedha chala expectations unnayi’ . I don’t feel any pressure. The genres I do are drastically different. If Arjun Reddy was intense and emotional this is humorous all through. I have a particular taste, I do films according to it and promote it accordingly. I experiment with costumes too. It’s nice to fool around with clothes and that comes from some recklessness. I suddenly feel like wearing a lungi and a jacket and now I have the access to do what I want. When I was doing theatre, my Muslim friends would invite me to an Iftar party and I’d go wearing a dhoti while others would be in a kurta-pyjama.
Now my sense of style is noticed more because I’m attending more events and I get photographed. I love food too; if I travel abroad, I never choose a dish I’ve already tried.
How did you bag a Tamil project?
Director Anand Shankar saw Pelli Choopulu and liked it. Since then he had wanted to get in touch with me but then he was shooting for Iru Mugan with Vikram and Nayantara. Meanwhile, Arjun Reddy released.
Then producer Gnanavel Raja and the director met to discuss a future project and the producer suggested my name. Also, Pelli Choopulu and Arjun Reddy did well in Chennai and they thought it would be interesting to do a bilingual with me.
Aren’t you doing too many cameos?
The directors with whom I had worked with asked me to do cameos, now I think I am done. They called me when I needed them, you feel better doing their film. A lot of things are changing rapidly in Telugu cinema. The success of these films triggered many directors and actors to choose fresh scripts. Earlier, out of fear one stuck to formula because you don’t want anyone to lose money; but when you see different films working, people get the confidence to stretch their imagination. I can’t do regular, formula films. Even If I come across a formulaic script that has a potential to collect ₹100 crore, I can’t do it. I am comfortable doing a particular kind of cinema.
Your schedule is busy for the next two years?
There are a couple of interesting films lined up this year. After my previous two films I got nationwide attention and several filmmakers approached me. They felt they can try something new with me. I choose the best ones and my schedule is booked for two years. Now I am on a pause mode. I’ve changed as a person, so have my tastes and preferences. I am constantly evolving. If I believe in a particular philosophy today, I may have a contradictory opinion tomorrow. The more information you receive, the more you read, the more heart breaks you have, you learn from them.
Are you happy with your choices?
I am impulsive and that’s a problem. I have a core reaction that I can’t control. I say okay to someone and when I return home I wonder why I said that. On impulse I may have said okay to five scripts without thinking about the dates I have. There are so many obligations, meetings and events. Every time someone asks me something I tend to say yes! Now I am changing on that front. I hired a manager who alerts me of the day’s schedule.
Tell us about ‘Taxiwallah’.
The idea was superb and when I was given a narration by Rahul Sankrityan, I was hooked. It was a fun character to play after doing a moody film like Arjun Reddy . It is a film everyone can watch without qualms. I was clear that AR was for an adult audience. When directors tell me good stories, I am half in awe of how they came up with such ideas and how they write. It is a supernatural genre and I play a cabbie called Siva. There will be tense moments and comedy; I am sure the audience will enjoy it.
You seem to have the talent of sensing the potential of new directors.
I think we mutually gravitate to each other. I am averse to incompetency. I need mentally stimulating people and intelligent conversations. How obsessed you are with your film can be figured out when you have a discussion, we have similar tastes and preferences. In Mahanati I play an innocent journalist, I haven’t watched any film from the 70s or 80s and I am looking forward to seeing the film. I was informed about my part in a brief line and only a few days of my schedule were required. In those days on the sets, everyone spoke with a lot of respect... andi, garu , Madhuravani (Samantha) garu . I play a photojournalist who helps in researching Savitri’s story. It’s a small part. Director Nag Ashwin kind of shaped me, triggered my growth in Yevade Subramanyam . He is happy to see me where I am.
