Telugu actor Sundeep Kishan didn’t think twice before plunging in Raayan. “Choosing to become a part of Raayan was absolutely a no-brainer to be honest because it was Dhanush’s 50th film and him as a director and he was offering me a part which he had written for himself.I in fact thought it was an incredible compliment.I just felt I had to do justice to it, more than even having to think if it was the right decision to make.”
Transitioning to Tamil is nor a big deal for Sundeep. “As far as Tamil cinema is concerned,my biggest ambition is to be known by everybody and liked by everybody.You know,I'm really not playing this market as a business game. So,for me this was an incredible opportunity to reach out to a majority or almost all of the Tamil audience with a character which has potential for an incredible performance,hoping I have done a good job with it.This is a film which I’ve done purely for the joy of the craft and for being part of great cinema.And I genuinely think what I am today or the fact that I've pulled off the roles so far in my career or the way that I've come forward on my career so far, is because of some really loyal fans who stood by me on terrible days. Bad days when you get to know who are the people who are actually standing by you and that's the time when I've had the loyalest of friends and fans with me.I've been really lucky .I think all of these people who stood by me primarily became fans of mine because of probably my competent performances or my efforts towards it , or how I'm stubborn towards what I believe in.So,I think Raayan is a film in which they will be really proud of me.”
Sundeep is all praise for Dhanush. “He is a very generous co-actor but he's also a very generous director.It takes a lot of heart to make a 50th film where you have such an elaborate cast with each cast member having such important parts in the film.I'm really in awe of how this man,of how secure he is an actor,as a performer,as a director.And I think it was a fantastic opportunity for me to learn from him ,not just in terms of performance but about how to look at cinema and how to approach your career.It's a great time for someone like me to have,to get to spend so much time with someone like him and considering we have been like brothers,it was a great learning experience for me personally ,not just professionally in terms of the content I choose but also in terms of how I saw cinema for my career forward.”
Sundeep’s last release Michael, though laudable, was a boxoffice failure. “ I was incredibly disappointed initially but over time when I realized the kind of response the film kept getting or the love it kept getting from people in various parts of the world … until every time I meet anybody they come back saying they're a huge fan of Michael or my character and it makes me very happy.But at that point I was kind of disappointed that I couldn't keep up my promise to my distributors with that film.And that was a film we all had a lot of love for and we do know that somewhere we faltered in terms of the narrative.So it was very important for me to learn from it.Yes,it did really prove a learning experience.I'm not somebody who's going to be like,oh this film didn't work. I'm somebody who takes my films very personally.It did affect me but still Michael will always be very,
very special to me . And thank you so much Subhashji for really loving that film.
Sundeep is confident audiences will come to see a film if it is worthy of their time money and attention. “Actually on the contrary most films are performing very well in theaters at the moment.Like we just very recently had a mega blockbuster Kalki.And the anticipation for Raayan is very huge at the moment.So I think this will be a very good cash registering theatrical film. And this is also a film which is for everybody.It has great music,it has humour,it has the right emotions and a lot of action.It has the right drama.So I think this is a film which will cater to a majority of the audience.Just the fact that it is the incredible talent,Dhanush's directorial .Like I as an audience member would be very excited to see what Dhanush is going to be directing with himself in such a stellar cast like S.J.Surya sir,Selvaraghavan sir,Kalidas Prakash Raj sir.So I think just this, the fact that it is this brain whose credibility has been built over decades directing it.And so many people have believed in this.”
Sundeep is pleased with the progress he has made so far. “To be honest,I'm very thankful for the recent years.Though slow,the growth has been very steady.And today I think it is a,I'm at a point of my career wherethe headway is going right.You know,this is that one tipping point.So I'm very thankful for it.I'm very thankful because the audience have taken notice and given this to me.Like usually there are people supporting you from various corners because they believe in you.Like there'll be a producer or a director who'll be like,I bet on this boy.Let's keep betting.For me,I think in this case it was the audience.At every point they've just kept coming back and watching my films somewhere believing that my intent is totally right and believing in my intent more than anything else or my hard work.And I'm so thankful for that.And you know,people usually say,you know,I thank my audience,but in my case I've legit seen it that it's so true.Like as you say,a film like Michael underperformed.But I think the response from audience for me has been ten times more after an underperforming film.So I think that is some form of connection which is a blessing which I've been able to form with audience and I'm so thankful for it.”
About his next project, “Right after this,I do have my next with Trinadha Rao Nakkina who's made Dhamaka.He's coming after a blockbuster,100 crore entertainer.It's going to be a family entertainer.We haven't titled it yet. After that,I'm teaming up with Swaroop RSJ of Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya which will be a college action love story.It's a very special film,both of these,in terms of genres. After a lot of serious films,I'm finally,again,getting back into a little fun,happy films.So it's also very exciting for me.And of course there is Family Man Season 3,which I'm very excited about.”
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