He was working as a general manager at a star hotel before he made his foray into television seven years ago after his wife's sister Nishitha Gowda, who’s an actress pushed him to take up an interesting role in Vinu Balanja’s Chitte Hejje. Actor Vinay Gowda shares that acting for him was a time-pass affair in the initial days but soon turned into passion and now he is most happy to stay busy with multiple roles to play, be it on television, movies and web-series.
Post his mythological avatars as Hindu God Shiva, Ravana, he returns to play an arrogant handsome looking film producer in Bayasade Bali Bande on Star Suvarna. On the silver screen, Vinay will be seen as one of the villains in Dhruva Sarja starrer Pogaru and the main antagonist in Shivaji Surathkal where the talented Ramesh Aravind debuts in a detective role. Apart from his other works in Hindi and a web-series, he speaks about his versatile roles and more.
“I was working in a star hotel before I got recommended to take up a role in Vinu Balanja sir's Chitte Hejje serial. I was not that serious about acting and it was more like a time-pass thing for me. But eventually it turned into a passion and I soon quit my job. I have so far acted in seven tele-serials but the mythological character especially playing Lord Shiva was the turning point in my career. Audience recognise me instantly as Shiva than by my real name or by any other characters I have so far portrayed on the small screen. It was a pleasant surprise when I got a call from Star Suvarna over an offer to play the lead in Bayasade Bali Bande. I was more happy to do so not just for the serial but also for Star Suvarna which has given me my biggest break till date,” says Vinay Gowda.
He along with his wife Akshata Gowda, who is a casting manager appeared in a reality show titled Super Jodi and emerged as its winner. “The entire credit goes to my wife Akshata, who stood beside me since the day one when I decided to change my career to becoming an actor. It is her constant effort that we managed to sail through the rough tides,” he shares.
He further explains that he was skeptical about taking up mythological characters in the beginning. “It requires a certain kind of experience and expertise when it comes to portraying such roles. It needed me to learn new kind of spoken language and thanks to the serial makers and the channel concerned who backed me and it eventually turned out to be a huge success. While in my new serial wherein I play a producer, it suits the real me. I do not know why people assume that I am an arrogant person with too much of an attitude. In reality I am not but it is tough to play the role which looked real on the screen. It also allows me to be more human after playing the God and other mythological characters,” he says.
However, he will still be seen in yet another mythological character as Ravana in the Hindi soap Vidyavardhaka Ganesha which will start showing him on air from next month.
Insofar as movies are concerned, Vinay plays one of the villains in Pogaru and the lead antagonist in Shivaji Surathkal. “While it is demanding to manage the amount of work around but I am happy to stay busy than sit at home with no work,” he smiles.
Vinay wraps it up by saying that keeping himself fit is his main priority which is a must for an actor in the present scenario. “I run for 45 minutes everyday with a minimum two hour workout in the gym. Recently I had to gain weight to play Ravana for which I increased 30 kgs and again to play the producer's role, I had to lose the weight. Its fun,” he signs off.
