Effortless avatar

It’s Raghu Mukherjee’s good looks, coupled with a sensitive approach to everything around him, that has made him popular, especially among the female fans. Raghu has once again managed to win over legions of women with his portrayal of the character of Shyam in the just-released ‘Jessie’.

     In a chat with Nina C George, Raghu talks about how he bagged the project and what keeps him going.
 
How did you get the offer for ‘Jessie’?

I ran into director Pavan Wadeyar on Church Street almost a year ago and he told me that he liked my performance in ‘Savaari’ and said he would like to work with me sometime soon. After a year, Pavan promptly gave me a call and said he had a story to narrate and that’s how ‘Jessie’ came along. Pavan is an absolutely lovable character. He knows how to effortlessly translate his vision onto the big screen.  
 
Has working in ‘Jessie’ been a refreshing experience?

‘Jessie’ is a love story with a horror twist. All of Pavan’s earlier projects are very different in content and he makes an effort to present routine happenings in a different way. ‘Jessie’ holds a big surprise for the audience towards the end. The movie has done well because of a committed and energetic team behind its making

Is your character a shift from the regular lover-boy role?

Not a complete shift but a slight one. It’s a romantic genre but the treatment is quite different. I play the character of a  straightforward guy who manages to keep his cool even in the oddest of situations.

Do you feel you are being typecast by playing only romantic roles?

I don’t call it a typecast. People have been very receptive to seeing me play a romantic on screen. If people like to see me that way, why should I attempt to break free from that image? I worked in multi-starrers and tried different genres but romantic roles have always worked in my favour.
 
What kind of roles do you want to see yourself in?

I want to entertain people and I’ve always been open to experimenting with different characters. I am particular that there must be some meaning to my role.
 
You have been getting offers from other language industries but you stayed away. Why?

I don’t like work within set boundaries. I enjoy my work. But I am overwhelmed by the love and support, I am getting from people in the Kannada film industry.
 
What keeps you going?

Music is a big part of my life. My day begins and ends with music which could be anything from classical to classic rock, anything beyond that becomes noise for me.
 
Do you get upset when work doesn’t come your way?

Never. When I am not working I am doing something else which could be interior design, carpentry and I also add on to my collection of antiques.
 
How do you handle all the female attention you are getting?

Sometimes it becomes very difficult, especially when people go too far. But I have worked for this recognition and I am happy when people reciprocate in a positive way.