After Neenello Nanalle where he acted with his legendary father-in-law Sahasa Simha, the late Dr Vishnuvardhan, there was a kind of hush. Now, Anirudh is all set to make a huge comeback where he will ‘again’ share the screen with none other than the Sahasa Simha himself, who plays the role of his father in this film! Lover-boy Anirudh is back in ‘action’ for Raja Simha. Even as his film is set to launch in a couple of days, he speaks exclusively to Bengaluru Chronicle about his ‘special bond’ with Raja Simha and the surprise in store for fans of both Mr and Mrs Vishnuvardhan, and much more.
“I am acting alongside my mother-in-law Mrs Bharathi Vishnuvardhan, for the first time. She is acting with my father-in-law after a gap of 36 years in Raja Simha! It is going to be a complete commercial venture which revolves around a social message, which was always a common factor in almost all (Dr Vishnuvardhan) Appaji’s films,” says Anirudh. So how is the late Sahasa Simha acting in Raja Simha? The team reveals that they are making use of the latest technology in bringing him to life for the big screen.
Anirudh, who has been doggedly supporting his late father-in-law’s charitable causes, and has worked with Bharathi Vishnuvardhan on several initiatives, hopes to continue his legacy. As the brains behind the concept of the Sahasa Simha comic series in which the late Dr Vishnuvardhan is showcased as a detective, the idea is to highlight the late legend’s philosophy in life.
“I have been working very hard for the physical requirements for Raja Simha for over a year. Though I had been practising pranayama daily, I have also been working out at the gym. This film is very special. Ever since my father-in-law’s demise, it feels like he is still amongst us, getting work done through us, be it a social service through the trust or educating via films. He always talked about positivity in life, and that is the crux of Raja Simha. The current generation is drifting away from each other, and the film talks about certain sensitive issues positively,” Anirudh reveals.
With his real life in-laws playing his parents onscreen for Raja Simha, the film that is being directed by Ravi Ram, has many hopes riding on it. After his recent venture in a Marathi film and portraying Swamy Aiyappa in a mythological one, Anirudh is pretty excited, and says he is immensely thankful to his family members and all his admirers for their support, even though he has been away from films for a while.
