Making a splash in Tollywood

The Telugu audiences are in for a treat. They’ll soon get to see Bollywood actor Kunal Kapoor in action in DevaDas, a Telugu multi-starrer featuring Nagarjuna and Nani. Kunal is delighted to share his experience of working on the film.
Kunal says, “The filmmakers approached me for the part and director Sriram Adittya narrated the script to me. I was excited by what I had heard and did not take long to decide that I wanted to do this.” He adds, “I think it’s exciting times for actors and filmmakers. There are so many interesting collaborations happening between different industries. We also have an audience that is open to stories, irrespective of the language.”

The Dear Zindagi actor will be seen as a baddie in the comic caper. “I never look at a part as a good guy or bad guy. Everyone is the hero of their own story. Similarly, David, the character that I play in the film, has his own reasons for doing what he does. He doesn’t look at himself as the bad guy, in fact, he is convinced that he is doing the right thing,” he shares.

Describing the experience of working with Nagarjuna and Nani as ‘fantastic’, Kunal explains, “I have always been a big fan of Nag sir. I remember I used to have a video cassette of Shiva when I was in school and would watch it at least once a week. Both he and Nani have  been wonderful to work with.”

Ask Kunal how different Tollywood is different from the Malayalam film industry, in which he debuted last year, and he replies, “I think for me every industry is the same. It’s a bunch of people who come together to tell a story that they find exciting. So irrespective of the language or industry, we are all connected by our love for cinema and desire to entertain people.” The actor had to learn some Telugu for the part. Does he have friends from the South?

“There is, of course, Sid (Siddharth). We worked together in Rang De Basanti. And Rana is someone I have known for the last couple of years. He is a great guy,” concludes Kunal.

HT04