Discipline, consistency, experience and a willingness to embrace all kinds of roles without too much thought has been his forte but combining the right blend of goodness laced with limitations in personality is something that Venkatesh has not done before. In Seetamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu he plays an unemployed, reserved yet straight forward brother in contrast to an exuberant and a whacky sibling. Though melodrama has been his province, the actor confesses that this time it was a wee bit complex and he didn’t know whether he had to smile or be serious when he called out to Anjali in some scenes; he cannot be natural after two takes. He stresses from day one the entire atmosphere was brimming with positivity; “The first day when we walked in, the joy of the technicians and the people watching us was so visible and it helped a larger audience come together. The director didn’t want anything we did in earlier films. We all have our experiences with our own uncles, some small grudges, some attitude problems, I guess all the emotions came out naturally. Even when I talk to my brother Suresh on the phone, the conversations are staccato, I know he is there on the line, there is some silence and we keep saying ‘inkenti’? and there won’t be anything else to talk. Mahesh’s father saw the film and told me that we looked like real brothers.”
He avers it is a good start for the industry and many writers and directors will come up with creative. clean family stories without any calculative thinking. “I was always open and never charted out a plan and all I insisted was that subject should have a business angle. The outcome of the film, the mood and flavour was imperative. We were mentally tuned to it and were prepared for the journey.”
Explaining the exemplary role of director Srikant Addala in this entire experience, Venkatesh says, “the director handled us cleverly, emi adigina navvesevadu.” Factoring in the reasons behind the success, the actor says, “the viewers, I guess, were waiting for such ‘calm and cool’ film. Mahesh being in form, me with my 28 years experience of doing clean family movies, and a story on brothers after a long time, the promos of both of us walking together — they all helped. I heard local Americans haven’t seen such a rush for the film in the theatres.”
Venkatesh’s next film is Shadow, an action film and it will be a total shift from what he had done now in SVSC. As a parting shot he says, “It is part of our job, take what you get and move on. We are enjoying these moments but after a couple of days it will be over, no point clinging to it.”
