'I always wanted to build my body'

Shivarajkumar may have crossed the 100th movie mark long ago but the phenomenal energy that marks him makes it clear that he is set to cross more such milestones.

Shivanna, as he is fondly called, has never looked fitter than in his latest project Aryan, where he plays a sports coach. The role requires him to be fit and the actor has been putting his heart and soul into looking good. It is perhaps for the first time that Shivarajkumar has dedicated time to building his strength for the role.

“I always wanted to build my body but my tough shooting schedules leave me very little time to do anything else, apart from what is required for the film. This year, for the first time, I’ve started lifting weights and I am enjoying every bit of my gym routine,” Shivarajkumar tells Metrolife.

His efforts have not gone wasted, since he is all set to sport a six-pack in his forthcoming project Bajarangi. He will soon head out to complete a song shoot for Bajarangi, which has Shivarajkumar in a double role as Bajarangi and Jeeva.

“The two characters never come face-to-face but they play very contrasting roles. One is quite serious and the other provides a lot of comic relief,” he states.

 Shivarajkumar enjoys playing a variety of roles. This, he thinks, helps him stay fresh, without getting too repetitive. He has always nurtured a desire to play historical characters, just like his father had. He will soon essay the role of Kabir, the great poet in his next project.

“The style of performance, body language and the dialect is different in a
historical film. It is indeed quite challenging,” he adds.

Shivarajkumar and Radhika Kumaraswamy have worked together before Radhika quit acting and now the duo will be seen together again, after almost a decade. “I will play the role of Radhika’s brother in the next project. The film captures and portrays the love between a brother and a sister. The bond among siblings is strong and indeed quite special,” he signs off.