'Life hasn't been easy for me'

Actor Arya was only nine-years-old when he was watching the shooting of Upendra’s ‘Tharle Nan Maga’. Call it luck or sheer coincidence, Upendra spotted the boy and found that he perfectly fit one of the characters for the movie. Soon, Arya played a small but significant role in the movie.

In 2007, Arya essayed an interesting role in actor Sudeep’s directorial ‘No 73, Shanthi Nivasa’, then appeared in a cameo in ‘Mussanje Maatu’ and returned to play the lead in ‘Ee Sanje’. Arya also happens to be the nephew of Sudeep. 

Now, after a significant gap, Arya has returned to play the lead in his home production ‘Onti’. He confesses that this is one project that he has taken time to work on. In an interview with Nina C George, Arya talks about why he took so long to return to the Kannada film industry.  
 
What’s special about ‘Onti’?
I play a character who is nicknamed ‘Onti’, meaning alone in Kannada. He is not alone as the title suggests but somewhere, he is a loner. What makes him feel that way forms the crux of the story. The movie has all the trappings that make for a perfect entertainer.
 
What took you so long to return to acting?
It’s the dearth of good scripts. Either I didn’t find the subjects that I was looking for or the scripts coming my way weren’t up to my expectations.

How did ‘Onti’ click for you?
I have been an integral part of the making of ‘Onti’ including the process of scripting. It has a brilliant storyline and an ending like nothing one has seen before. This is also why I decided to produce the film just to ensure that the quality is maintained.

What do you do when you are not at work?
I work out to stay fit and healthy. I also listen to a lot of music. I have an inexhaustible collection of Kishore Kumar songs. I am a bit old-fashioned but I like it that way.  

Your take on relationships...
I give a lot of value and importance to relationships and friendship. My thoughts are also reflected in the story which has real instances that people can relate to. There are commercial elements as well. We have tried to not add too much of the fantasy aspect.

How is it acting opposite Meghana?
Meghana Raj was a natural choice for the character in the film. It’s a performance-oriented role and we needed somebody who is innocent-looking but sensible at the same time. Meghana is a good performer and perfectly fits the bill.  

How do you handle failures?
Life hasn’t been easy for me and I’ve had to struggle. I don’t lose hope and prefer to stay positive all the time.   

The lessons you have learnt along the way...
Being patient pays. You learn something from everybody. Even a child can teach you something.

Your biggest support system.
My family is my biggest support system.