EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Runs the show!
He’s tall, handsome and witty! And now he’s shown he can act with the smashing success of Leader. Rana Daggubati talks to Nidarshana Sharma AndRitika Samtaney about his phenomenal debut Leader, his love for acting and more.
Congratulations. Leader has successfully completed 100 days. How’s the feeling?
Oh it’s always nice for a first film to do well. It wasn’t a regular launch for me. It wasn’t the usual dance-song-action routine. What’s very encouraging is the fact that a film like Leader becoming a commercial success at the box office. It throws open many doors for me and makes it easier for me to plan the rest of my career.
What made you do Leader then?
I wanted to participate in making newer cinema. I was already into visual effects and production, so I had an idea as to what kind of a film I’d like to act in. Also I believe since no two people are alike, the movies that they do also shouldn’t be similar.
So that was a risk you took which paid off. What if it hadn’t?
Oh that’s simple! I would have simply gone back to producing.
You play this morally upright Chief Minister in the movie who aims to wipe out corruption single-handedly. Do you think that’s possible in reality too?
You see, Leader was sort of a vision that we had for Andhra Pradesh or for our CM. It was a citizen’s personal wish list. We’ve already had such movies at the box office before and we have also had very powerful leaders in the past. Mahatma Gandhi or Sardar Vallabhai Patel for example. Today we need more of such leaders which is why our idea of Leader was born as cinema is our medium of reaching out to the people.
Will you want to be associated with politics?
Cinema is something I understand and politics is something I don’t, yet. So I tried putting across a dream through acting, which is what I can relate to most.
How was it working with Richa and Priya?
Both of them are extremely talented. After a long time, we’ve found a girl who speaks Telugu and has a good command over the language. That way, it was wonderful working with Priya. Richa, on the other hand, we found very late. We were shooting without an Archana. But we finally found her. She’s never acted before and I totally give it to her for blending in. She did really well.
You’re also doing a Hindi film, Dum Maaro Dum. Tell us about it.
It came as a surprise for me. Rohan saw a few promos of mine and gave me a call and we started off much before Leader even released. I’m very happy with the way my career is shaping up because I would never be able to film like DMD, which is set in Goa, in Telugu.
Can you tell us something about your role in the film?
I play a goan musician in the film, which is not even me. Rohan saw Leader and thought I fit the role so I completely give it to a director to find the potential in you to play a certain character. The makeover in the film is so much that I feel Goan myself and I am glad this came my way.
Do you think it’s because of your good looks and personality that DMD happened?
First of all, thank you! I think I have a neutral face and I can pass off as, say, a Goan or a Hindi speaking guy. And my comfort to speak in Hindi proved to be an advantage.
How was it like working with big actors like Abhishek Bachchan and Bipasha Basu?
I have known Abhishek way before I did the film. I have known him for years now whereas Bipasha I know just now. Both of them are very chilled out and I shared a lovely bond working with them. Apart from the cast, even the crew of the film was fun to work with.
When is the film due for release?
The film will complete by the end of this year so early next year is when it should hopefully release.
What are your upcoming projects?
I’m doing a bilingual, in fact, both in Tamil and Telugu. One is with Gautam Menon and the other is with Selvaraghavan.
You come from a family of actors and producers, has that been an influence in your decision to act?
There is definitely a little more of an edge that I get from the family that I come from so it’s been a great influence in many ways. It’s like being in film school from when you’re in class 1 so I understand films in and out.
Tell us something about your film, A Belly Full of Dreams, back in 2006 which won a national award for the best film.
At that point of time I had been running a visual effects company, Spirit Media for about seven years then. I was looking at interesting stuff to make. It was then that my neighbor Prakash, Raghavendra Rao sir’s son came to me with this idea he had heard from a writer, J.K. Baravi, which he rewrote. I wanted to be a part of the film in some way, so I entered as a co-producer of the film, set up a team for it and finally made the film. The film deals with an eight-year-old rag picker who dreams of going to school. How he realizes his dream is the root of the story.
From the CEO of an enterprise to an actor in the limelight. How was the transition?
At the end of the day, it’s cinema. I enjoy being on either side of the camera. Both have their beauty, strengths and hardships. It’s cinema and it’s fun.
All the other young actors in the industry are your friends as well as your competitors. Is that a dilemma?
I think cinema, being an art, must not be competition-oriented. All the actors that you’re talking about are people who’ve been my buddies since childhood. But we don’t look alike nor are our ideas alike, so we do what appeals to us the most. Often the four of us- Bunny, Charan, Chaitanya and I sit together and watch each other’s edits and talk about what would work and what wouldn’t, so the sense of competition is irrelevant.
Out of all the films that they have done, is there any film that you would badly want to do?
I think every actor is made for his film so I am content doing my own films.
Who is your favorite present-day actress?
I think Asin and Trisha are two very talented ladies. That’s precisely why they’ve broken all barriers and done Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and now, Hindi films. Another is Priyamani. She’s done fabulous work in Paruthiveeran. I don’t think anyone else could have done better.
If not acting then what would it be?
My life has been revolving around films and most of it comes from my lineage. The amount of knowledge that a person like me gets is vast. Therefore there is a natural edge and ability to do not just acting but a lot of stuff related to films.
Would you ever do a Hollywood film?
I would love to, but I don’t know how to! (chuckles).
What about direction?
I would like to do it sometime soon. It’s not a far-fetched idea. I have been writing on and off so a feature film is definitely on my mind.
What are the genres that you prefer?
I like all genres but I am particular fond of chick-flicks. One thing that I can’t stand is horror because I somehow don’t understand the concept of horror films. I haven’t watched a horror film in my entire life.
You have become the heartthrob of Tollywood. Has that kind of fame hampered your personal life?
Not one bit. I come from a family that has been pretty much well-known in Hyderabad. So, nothing has changed drastically. I still go to the same restaurants, have the same set of friends and stuff. I go to Old City even now. I’m a haleem lover. I frequent Ofen for breakfast even now. In fact, I feel happy when people recognize me because that way I know they’ve watched my film. So it’s a good thing.
What’s the best compliment you’ve received so far?
It’s nice to hear people’s opinion about you and your work. Leader was not just an unconventional debut it was also a responsible one. So that sort of instilled respect in people for my work. But yeah the best time was when a person came up to me and said Leader was his first film in a decade. It was a really good feeling.