How did it happen?
My dad was a hotelier, he wanted me to handle his business but I wanted to be a police officer. During college days, I developed nearsightedness and my dreams crashed as clear eye sight was a pre requisite to join the police. People told my motherthat her son was good looking and he should try to get into films.. the lecturers in college said the same and that was playing on my mind. My father was against it but my mother supported me. I thought even if I failed, I could fall back on the family business. In my heart, I knew that I don't fit into business or politics. I responded to an advertisement in the paper for fresh faces for a film and I got through the audition more easily than I had expected.
My first break was in Tamil directed by Balachander. The same was remade in Telugu as Idhi Katha Kadu with me, Kamal Hasan and Chiranjeevi and the movie was a hit.
How my life changed?
Once the film was a hit, people started liking me. I worked towards bringing out the character on screen. I worked in negative roles for maybe 10 or 15 out of 250 movies. One of my favourite roles was from Sitara . It is about a man from a Zamindar family who due to someone else's mistake falls into a legal tussle. He struggles to keep his family reputation, refuses to marry and even commits suicide.
How it felt?
I always aimed to be an actor who can be a star material. I initially did supporting and negative roles but the focus was on a good role. I don't have any regrets in life. I don't regret not doing any role, I'd say daane daane pe likha hai actor ka naam . I put in 100 per cent and leave the rest to God always as I believe that this is my last life. Even a blade of grass doesn't grow without a purpose; I have cleared all my debts, my account is closed and there will be no further transactions. It's been a very fulfilling life.
