'I like to live in the moment'

Fingers crossed

Actor Vijay Raghavendra has had a fruitful year so far. The Kannada audience saw him in a series of varied roles and the actor says that he couldn’t have asked for more.

Two of his projects —‘Jani’ and ‘Mass Leader’ — recently released on the same day, which proved to be a double treat for his fans. In a candid chat with Tini Sara Anien, the artiste sheds light on the projects.

Two releases on the same day. How do you feel?
I am happy that I have films releasing one after the other. I am also overjoyed by the way the movie ‘Jani’ has been promoted and supported by everyone.

To be honest, I feel I am just a part of ‘Mass Leader’, while I can safely say that ‘Jani’ is my movie.

How different are the two roles?
Both the roles are completely different. While I play an accomplice to the leader in ‘Mass Leader’, in ‘Jani’ I play a thief with a heart of gold.

How was the experience of acting with family again?
I am fortunate that I have worked with my uncle Shivarajkumar multiple times. But right from childhood I have realised that filmmaking is a professional space, whether you are acting with family or otherwise.Having said that, Shivarajkumar is a gem of a person. I’ve learnt a lot from him.

Tell us more about ‘Jani’.
I play Jani, a carefree and mischievous person in the movie.He believes in living the moment. I have always been comfortable doing humorous roles and this was a real treat that way.

How close are you to your character in ‘Jani’?
I am more of a ‘live and let live’ person. I am carefree but I’m not irresponsible (laughs). I like to live in the moment too. 

Any other genre you want to experiment with?
Anything that pushes me beyond my limits. If I had to pinpoint, it would be a historical movie. I played the lead in ‘Kallarali Hoovagi’ about 10 years back and that is one genre I want to try again. I would also like to play a specially-abled person as it would be very challenging. Such roles would help me to connect with the audience at a deep level.

As an actor, what are the biggest challenges you had to overcome?
Being insecure about one’s own past record. To this day, I haven’t been able to cross the success of ‘Ninagagi’. Fears like these can only hamper one’s growth. Turning such thoughts into positive vibes is the only way ahead. 

With so many back-to- back releases, are you excited or nervous?
To be honest, I am nervous. I have three more releases coming up and that’s what I am thinking about now. I know I can’t relax yet.

What’s next?
I have a home production called ‘Kismat’. And then there is ‘Dharmasya’ and ‘Raja Loves Radhe’.