Subtle acting is challenging, says Praveen Tej

Actor Praveen Tej is portraying the character of a person with a psychological ailment in ‘Striker’. The film which started shoot earlier this year is scheduled for release in January. In a candid chat with Tini Sara Anien, he shares about his journey with the film. 

Tell us a bit about ‘Striker’.
‘Striker’ is a film directed by Pawan Trivikram and is a suspense-thriller. The film is bound to impress with its style and content. It is a content-based film yet gives enough space for characters to evolve. I play Sidhu, a garage owner who has a psychological disorder. I’m super-excited about the release of the film. We had planned for an earlier release but a lot of big films came out around that time.  

Why is the film called Striker?
The film is like a game of carrom board; a game between the cops and the criminal.

The film is a thriller. How will it stand out?
Unlike most thriller films, ‘Striker’ has a perfect mix of many elements. There is comedy in the first half, romance and a lot more which will help the film strike the perfect balance. Movie buffs come to the theatres expecting a new style of filmmaking, screenplay and dialogues. I believe that ‘Striker’ has a fresh
quotient and will narrate a story that has never been told yet. 

Was it difficult to portray Sidhu?
It was a learning experience. Sidhu undergoes some trauma during his childhood which makes him the way he is. The film shows him through his childhood, and how he faces the society as a grown-up with the condition.  It is not easy to depict a psychologically disturbed person. My character can’t distinguish between what is real and unreal. Expressing emotions just through the eyes is not easy. I have always played characters which are more expressive but here I had to underplay my character. Subtle acting is challenging. Acting like a confused person can be quite tricky. I took a few days to settle into the role and there were times when I felt so connected to Sidhu that I would behave confused off the sets too.  

Did you have to do any homework for the role?
I didn’t undergo any physical changes for the role; I had to mentally prepare for it. I kept re-reading the script and took up an acting workshop. Portraying an average, sane person is easy but concentrating more on character traits is bit of a challenge. 

Tell us a bit about your upcoming releases.
After ‘Striker’, ‘BMW’ and ‘Rangamandira’ is scheduled for release. We had to reshoot a bit of ‘BMW’ which could be the reason the film has been postponed. But 2019 looks like a positive year ahead. My roles in the films are strikingly different, I play a student in one and an aspiring photographer in the other. I always try to keep my roles distinct.