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An accidental actor

National car racing champ Sailesh Bolisetty talks about his passion for racing and his accidental' foray into films.

Sailesh Bolisetty, a three-time National Championship winner in car racing, is an actor by chance. Hailing from Vishakhapatnam, the actor made his debut with Mukunda in 2014, playing a supporting role to Varun Tej. He will now be seen playing the lead in Chal Chal Gurram, that releases on Friday.

“My film journey happened just by luck and accident,” admits Sailesh, adding, “After I won the National Championship, several sports channels took my interviews. One of my father’s friends complained that I didn’t talk properly. So I joined Satyanand School, not to learn acting skills, but to learn how to talk in front of the camera.”

At the same time, director Srikanth Addala met Satyanand for his film Mukunda, and Sailesh’s name was suggested. “I wasn’t interested in acting, but they pushed me to do the film. I realised that many people don’t get a chance to act, but I got one,” says Sailesh.

Sailesh says he now wants to concentrate on racing. “I will only act again if someone approaches me. That’s how I got Chal Chal Gurram,” he says. “I play a guy working in two offices. How I manage and why I want to do this is narrated in an entertaining manner,” he says, describing his latest film.

Sailesh admits that he always had a passion for cars. However, it was after he completed his engineering from Andhra University that the idea to become a racer struck him. Recalling his journey, Sailesh says, “I went to Chennai to enquire about Narain Karthikeyan and found another former champion Radha Selvarajan. He trained me for a few days and then I started racing.”

Sailesh won both the 2010 and 2011 National Championships. He is the only Indian to have won a GT championship in UK. Sailesh’s father, Satyanarayana Bolisetty, is a well-known Congress politician from Vizag.

Presently waiting for his film’s release, Sailesh candidly says, “Films are not my career option. I am passionate about car racing and I also have to look after my business.”

His goal is to participate in the USA Racing Championship. “Racing has not become that popular in India as it’s an expensive sport. I spend a lot on it and also have a sponsor from Vizag.” Sailesh reveals that Aditya Akkineni, nephew of Nagarjuna, is a good friend of his and is also training along with him.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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