Venkatesh: I have to admit I’m growing old

In his thirtieth year in cinema, with a new film up for release, Venkatesh talks about his choices

Actor Venkatesh. Photo: K.V.S. Giri

Dressed in a casual tee, jacket and sporting a rugged beard, Venkatesh is unlike what we see him in the theatrical trailers of Babu Bangaram , releasing this Friday. “I’m going to be munching some nuts while answering questions. I’m on a particular diet, so please don’t think otherwise,” he says, settling down to talk. The diet is for his role of a boxing coach in the Telugu remake of Saala Khadoos ( Irudhi Suttru in Tamil). He’s also spent more time in the gym to bulk up. “I bulked up a bit, not like Rana and Prabhas. Those guys are playing warriors,” he laughs.

Venkatesh has quite a few projects lined up. The Saala Khadoos remake, he says, has been tweaked a bit. “I can’t be a womaniser, so we changed that portion,” he says. Soon after Gopala Gopala ’s release in early 2015, Venkatesh took time off to be with his ailing father. “Everything has a time. Now I’m doing a few projects. Even if I intend to slow down, he (points to a photograph of Ramana Maharishi) has a plan for me.”

Babu Bangaram has him portraying a fun-loving police officer who goes through a character shift. Director Maruthi Dasari, a huge fan of Venkatesh’s

Bobbili Raja , was keen to use the ‘ayyo ayyo ayyayyo’ drawl in the film. “Luckily, even this generation that may not have seen

Bobbili Raja is appreciating that line. But I don’t go ‘ayyo ayyo ayyayyo’ throughout the film,” he states.

He’s aware they are dealing with a tried and tested template of a soft-spoken, peace-loving hero turning aggressive in course of the film. “I felt Maruthi’s characterisation was fresh. I don’t think there have been films where a cop goes through this transformation. I don’t know; I don’t research much. If I like a story, I go ahead and do it,” he says nonchalantly.

Talking to Venkatesh, it’s evident that he’s moved beyond box office numbers and the need to stay on top of the game. “I have to accept that I’m growing old. I can’t and shouldn’t be doing what I did 20 years ago. I can still dance, but definitely cannot twist and turn like younger heroes,” he says, his hand making a convoluted dance move. There’s a mention of his and Nayantara’s age factor in the film as well. The two had earlier worked together in films like Tulasi and Lakshmi. “Maruthi wanted us to look smart and younger. When I saw the film, I liked how we looked. In Drushyam and Gopala Gopal a, I was a regular guy and didn’t dress up and look stylish,” he says.

Venkatesh is completing 30 years in the industry this year. “Each time I look back, I realise I’m part of a beautiful game. When you see the larger picture, there can be no regrets on having missed out a few projects that eventually went to someone else. What’s meant for you will come,” he says.

A detachment from the vagaries of the industry and his inkling to infuse the conversation with his spiritual outlook to life is unmistakeable. Perhaps that’s why when he talks about the probable projects, he’d rather say, “Yeah, someone is writing the story,” than getting into specifics. He likes his work, but he’s not in a race.

‘Indiana Jones’ to ‘Bobbili Raja’

Reminiscing on his career, he talks about plots becoming stronger than they originally were as the shooting progressed. “Out of the blue there’s a miracle; new ideas come in and steer the film,” he says. At first reluctant to elaborate with instances, he then concedes, “For instance the action episodes and climax in Bobbili Raja . Indiana Jones had released and we got a reference point. At times, directors are stuck when developing a story. They’d look at some other film and know how to deal with another 20 scenes…” We let that statement sink in. Did he just admit the ‘inspirations’ that come into our films? Has it now become tough with the social media quick to point out such references? “We need to be honest. Influences can be from anywhere. If you’re doing a wedding-based film and you’re attending a wedding, you observe people and that will reflect in some scene,” he explains.

Let them be

Venkatesh was never under pressure from his father, late producer D. Ramanaidu, to enter films. He recalls having had the freedom to study what he wanted and choose his career path. He intends to do the same with his children. “Pressurising our children to fulfil our dreams is like making them live in a prison. Let them discover what they’d like to do,” he says, mentioning how his son Arjun, when asked if he’d follow Venkatesh’s footsteps, retorted that he’d make his own path.