Talent comes in many forms, and from myriad directions. This new little sensation who hails from Chamarajanagara was brought up in an ashram. Today, he is a star on Kannada television essaying one of the popular mythological characters — that of Shani. The 15-year-old Sunil, who recently passed his tenth standard is busy with his debut tele-serial even as he continues his education through distance learning. A dance enthusiast, his talent was recognised by the casting director of the serial. In an interview with Bengaluru Chronicle, Sunil shares his accidental journey and how portraying Shani on the small screen has changed his life.
Sunil admits that he was more interested in dance though he occasionally participated in dramas and theatres as a child artiste on various platforms. “My first love was always dance, and hence I had gone to Udupi to learn Yakshagana from my guru Sanjeeva Suvarna. This is when Deepak Sir identified my talent, and gave me an opportunity to act in the serial,” says Sunil.
More than 400 child artistes were auditioned for the role of Shani and the casting director stumbled upon Sunil, unhappy with the previous auditions. Learning about the boy and his talent, Sunil was finally selected after the audition. He essays a character which is considered to be one of the most powerful deities in Hindu mythology. Suni explains, “I do not fear nor feel uncomfortable when acting in front of the camera. I concentrate on delivering what I am told to. I follow my director after going through the dialogues. I try and understand the dialogues with the help of the seniors around. I come from Chamarajanagara, and the language and diction of the character is completely different from what I am used to. It was initially difficult but now I am used to it.”
The child actor also says that carrying such heavy costumes was another challenge in the initial days, given his small frame. The makers reveal that Sunil had no prior experience in acting, and would rarely watch watch TV at the ashram. They were astonished during the audition when the boy performed with such ease and very little assistance. All he took was one take performing a lengthy dialogue! “It makes me happy when people come to me appreciating my work. Most of them love the way I utter the word maathe in the serial. I enjoy every single moment on the sets — I get to learn so many things and there is also the fun part,” Sunil shares.
While Sunil is busy shooting for the serial in Mumbai where the grand sets are erected, he returns to Chamarajanagara during breaks for a few days where he spends time with his friends. His favourite sports are cricket and football. The little Shani signs off saying that he wishes to continue learning all forms of dance.
