'People's verdict is a crucial thing'

Juggling Roles

Upendra may be one of the hottest selling names in Sandalwood but he is best known for his directorial ventures and all movies scripted and directed by him remain etched in people’s memory forever.

“A movie must touch people’s lives. Nothing is impossible. There can be a different take to very ordinary things in life,” he philosophises and adds, “In acting, you just have to do what the director tells but as a director, every shot and every frame is decided by you. They are two different things altogether.”

Upendra is a man of few words but when he talks, he makes his point. 

 

There’s a great deal of care and thought that encompasses this actor. 

 

Upendra insists that all his directorial ventures have a soul, a strong message and entertain people. 

 

“These are the essential ingredients for the commercial success of a film. There’s nothing wrong in doing a film that’s profitable,” he says.

Upendra is gearing up for his next big project, ‘Uppi 2’, which is not only written by him, but will be directed and produced by his wife Priyanka. 

 

“There’s a lot of work and only planning well in advance will help you avoid confusion, especially when you are juggling a lot of things together,” he opines. 

In Basavanna, one saw Upendra in different get-ups. 

 

In his current project, Superro Ranga, one will see him experiment with his hair, make-up and costumes as well. 

 

“People go to the movies to be entertained and I think as actors, we must be able to deliver just that. This is never possible without experimenting,” he reasons. 

Upendra has no preferences when it comes to the genre of films but has a soft corner for psychological thrillers. 

 

“The latest project will have not just moments of suspense, comedy and romance but plenty of action in true ‘Uppi style’. Movies don’t always have to be about violence,” reasons Upendra.  

He feels his full potential as an actor and director hasn’t been tapped. 

 

“Work is a continuous process and there are always new ways to tell a story. I never tire of work,” he says. 

Ask him if he is ever nervous during a release, “Who isn’t nervous? Of course I am,” he says and adds, “I do my best when I work in a film and keep improvising till the last moment and leave the rest in God’s hand. People’s verdict is a crucial thing,” he signs off.