'The story should demand me'

His last outing as a lead actor in Nanna Kanasina Huvve may not have done as well as he had expected but that did not bog down the RJ-cum-theatre artiste Vinayak Joshi. He kept his spirits up and continued working in many supporting roles.

But after seven long years, the actor is all set for a comeback into the film industry as a lead actor.

The untitled film, written by Talin and directed by Nandagopal, will go on floors as soon as they find a suitable production house.

And the excited actor tells Metrolife that he is ready for a comeback. “After my debut film as lead actor, Nanna Kanasina Huvve, bombed at the box office.

People wrote me off. I also lost everything as an actor. Since then I have been looking
forward to make a comeback and gain the respect and

money I lost. I have always concentrated on re-establishing myself as an actor first and have patiently been waiting for this moment,” he adds.

The project, he says, is ‘tailor-made’ for him. “It is a love story and it will, in every way, highlight my personality and characteristics. A social message has been packaged in the story,” he adds.

And now that he is getting back to playing lead roles, will he refrain from signing character roles?

“My primary objective has always been to act. And as an actor, I never crave for a particular kind of role. The story should demand me, not the other way round. I am passionate about my work and no matter what I do, I will give it my best,” says Vinayak, who will be seen in Ambara and Googli in character roles.

The actor was overweight and has shed a lot of weight in the last two years. A challenge in itself, Vinayak says that he is feeling fitter and healthier.

“The challenge was to lose weight without going under the knife. The credit has to go to my trainer Sachin, who has really helped me,  not only to lose weight but also to build my body in a healthy way. I really want to inspire people and tell them that surgery is not the only way to lose weight,” he states.

Ask him if the industry demands a certain body shape from the heroes. “Today, we see actors like Komal, who does not have a six-pack, but is successful as an
actor. At the same time, there are six-pack heroes sitting at home with no work. The industry does not demand anything. It’s how we as an individual would like to project ourself,” he wraps up.