This US returned, soft spoken guy, Raja got his much needed and well deserved break with the success of the film ANAND. His recently released film VENNELA got him good reviews. In an interview with Ragalahari he speaks about his ready for release films KOKILLA and STYLE and his future projects.
Q: Tells us about KOKILA.
A: KOKILA film is about three friends who fall in love with the same girl. My character in this is about a guy who is very mature, balanced and practical, who is willing to do anything for the sake of friendship. Who gives a lot of value for friends and friendship. The second character, Abhi, is a playboy kind of guy, very happy- go-lucky in life. The third guy, played by Rajeev kankala, is a very emotional and sensitive guy. So people can expect a lot from these three variants.
Q: There are three heroines in the film, yet three of you fall in love with the same girl?
A: Yes. That is the twist in the story. Because even though we fall in love with the same girl, finally she has to end up with somebody. Who that person is and how the circumstances, they landed in, change, is what KOKILA is all about. My character is like that of Aamir khan in DIL CHAHTA HAI, same way Rajeev’s is like that of Akshay Khanna and Siva Balagi’s is like Saif Ali khan’s. The characters are not the same. It is just to say basically of the kind of characters we play in this movie. Three of us live together, our bachelor pad, we study in the same college. It’s very young, very refreshing, it has a lot of energy. And the music is great I have two solo songs and two songs with the other characters. I am very happy with the outcome in fact the censors have also passed the film saying that after a long gap they are passing a movie without even a single remark, with a clean chit.. It’s a very clean and entertaining movie.
Q: Which heroine do the three of you fall in love with?
A: Saloni.
Q: How was it, working with your co-stars?
A: Siva Balaji is very hyper on the sets, very naughty. He is always teasing Rajeev. It’s very playful among the three of us. We don’t have any ego hassles, nothing like he has more dialogues than me. Nothing like that. We actually got into our characters Even Rajeev, he has this reserved look about him, but he is actually so much fun. We are always in splits when ever he is on the sets. Once his scene is over he starts cracking jokes. Saloni I worked with her before, so we shared a good rapport .Archana and Suhasini, unfortunately I did not have much interaction with them. But I had a lot of fun doing this movie. Rajeev, Siva Balaji, me would start off as soon as we met on the sets and the director would be like “laugh afterwards. We are getting late for the shot”. So I enjoyed myself thoroughly till the end of the film. Unfortunately our director, Konda, passed away. But he enjoyed himself while shooting the movie and had fun along with us.
Q: When is the movie being released?
A: This month, that is Jan 12th.
Q: You also acted in STYLE? Tell us about your character in that movie.
A: STYLE is also about three characters played by Prabhudeva, Lawrence and me. I add the glamour element to the film. Mass lo Class is the tag line of the film. So Prabhudeva and Lawrence are the mass element and I am the class element … (smiling) of the film. That’s how they planned the publicity of the film. Prabhudeva’s character inspires and motivates Lawrence in the film. That’s the kind of relationship they share in the film. I don’t interact much with them in the film, except for a couple of scenes. Charmi and I have a separate love track in the film. We are the glamour quotient of the film.
Q: STYLE is a musical and dance oriented movie. So do we get to see raja dancing to some tunes?
A: No. I am not dancing in this movie. In fact I don’t even have a song in the movie.
Q: Why did you accept this role?
A: It was the chance to work with people like Prabhudeva and Lawrence, who are one of the top choreographers of our country. And Raju, I regard these people as three of the top choreographers of our country. Unfortunately I did not get to work with Rajugaru. It’s a privilege to be part of a good film, a good production and also to work with a beautiful girl like Charmi... (Laughing), it was interesting working in such a combination. And when the film will be successful I will be happy to have been a part of a good and successful movie.
Q: After the break you got with ANAND you are said to not have approached films in the right manner. Though your role in OKA OORILO was appreciated the film did not do well?
A: That is not my problem. As long as my work is appreciated I am happy. My effort get noticed and appreciated that is what is want. There is no point in doing a full length film that does not do well and where your efforts don’t get noticed. I rather do the kind of film I am doing right now. I am satisfied with my work.
Q: Even though you worked as a hero in VENNELA, second hero Sharwanand’s role got more highlighted. Why?
A: See in VENNELA there was nothing like one role getting highlighted over the other. People have not understood the concept of this movie. They are joust seeing whose role is lengthier than the other, but they do not understand the depth of the film. It is very disappointing. People do not understand cinema before watching a cinema. I have been telling people that Deva visioned these characters for the film. Their parameters are like this, that they are supposed to behave in this particular fashion. Not how long each character is. There are basically three characters in this movie Naveen, Syed and Ritesh (played by Sharwanand). Syed is a crook who takes advantage of people’s weakness. Ritesh is a guy who gets influenced by any and everybody in life. He cannot take decisions by himself. Whereas my character, Naveen, is a balanced guy, who respects others feelings and gives them their space. He knows what he went there for, what his ambitions are. So they are three different characterizations and obviously when a girl was in love with one person and the wound is still fresh in her, she cannot fall in love with another person. It was as simple as that. And that is what the girl says in the movie “you’ll are guys. You break up with one girl and within two weeks you find another girl. But I have crossed that stage. So don’t waste your time on me” it’s a beautiful point which she tells right after the flashback. People are not even noticing these portions in the film. The point the director was telling was that here is a women who spent four years of her life loving a man who was not even worth her time. And after she comes across another guy she tells him “see I know you are a nice guy but I have crossed the stage where I cannot fall in love with you”. Every character was sketched perfectly and that is the reason I did VENNELA not because I wanted a lead role. I just loved the script.
Q: You did not do any solo movies even after the success of ANAND. Why?
A: I would have if I got good offers. I don’t want people to forget me, in the quest to do solo movies. It is very unfortunate that in spite of proving my talent, and proving that I am quite flexible and that I can give my best, people aren’t coming forward. It’s a pity. But I am not feeling sad for myself. I am glad of the work I have done.
Q: About your future movies?
A: Right now I have KOKILA and STYLE releasing this month on 12th and then I am doing BANGARAM movie. I don’t have a good hold in the masses. Not many people have seen my movies in the interior regions. I will tap into that market with this movie. I am confident about the movie.
Q: You are acting with Pawan Kalyan in BANGARAM. Tell us about your character in it?
A: I will not tell about my character in that movie… (Smiling). I rather you watch the movie. I am not going to comment anything on BANGARAM till the movie releases.
