Star Interviews
Sharwanand is one among the newest generation of heroes that started without any background in the industry and is trying his luck by his own efforts. So far, his career graph seems to have mixed results, but he has already made a recognition for himself as a decent actor. Recently, his role in the film Gamyam seemed to have brought him so much success that he's now happily touring around the USA attending shows of his own movie on the East and West coasts of the country! TeluguCinema.Com caught up with him as he traveled around, literally so when he was in an airport during a break in his coast-to-coast journey. When I asked him if he was free for an interview earlier that day (April 10, 2008), he said he'd call me back during his layover at the airport, and he did, and we spoke for about 30 minutes. "Ask me all you want to" - that was what he confidently said before the interview began, and the same confident attitude was seen all through the interview, presented to our viewers. NaChaKi: When did you get realize that you wanted to be an actor? Why or how? Sharwanand: I realized it when I was 18. In fact, I decided I wanted to become an actor! I finished my intermediate and I went to Mumbai to get trained. I went around offices after I came back. It took me two years before I finally saw my dream come true. NaChaKi: Do you have any background in the film industry? Any godfather or something? If not, how did you manage to get a foothold? Sharwanand: I had nobody here! I just came on my own. Today, when I look back, I had nobody who was helping me back then. ...But now, I am glad that there're a lot of people who're helping me. About my first break in the filmdom... while I was getting trained in Vizag, a production house came there to select their hero, and I was luckily chosen among 30-40 probables there. The movie was named December 5va Tareekhu ...and it didn't even run for 5 days, but it was a good learning experience! ...It'd not be fair to voice out my bitter experiences now, just because I have a chance to speak after this success. I've learnt so much through those two years though - how to be and how not to be! Everybody succeeds in life, and success goes and comes back every time, but one has to be the same forever! I strive to be a human being first before anything else! NaChaKi: How does the industry generally treat youngsters and newcomers? Sharwanand: I can't say for others, but for me, I always had a welcoming gesture from my co-aristes and others. During the initial days, there were some bitter moments, which is common... NaChaKi: "Just Yellow Productions" is probably the only production house that made a name for itself among today's youth. But Amma Cheppindi was a miserable flop though it had a youth hero. What went wrong with the movie, you think? Sharwanand: When a film is made, we do it with a feeling that it'd be a hit, but the fate is decided by people and is not in our hands! There are a lot of good movies which failed. People didn't like it ...they didn't get connected to the film, I can't say why. One cannot give reasons as to why a particular movie is hit or flop! ..For example, people liked Gamyam today, and so it's doing well. Even till date, I like Amma Cheppindi still, but people didn't like it and it was a flop; the exact reasons behind these are beyond my comprehension. © Copyright by Telugucinema.com
NaChaKi: Yeah, true! But, "Just Yellow" is a big name among production houses. Similarly, what was wrong with Veedhi that came from Usha Kiron Movies? I wanted to see why you think movies backed by big banners were flopped? What was lacking in these films, as you see it today? Sharwanand: It's not about the scale of the production! I went with good banners, because they can promote the film well. We'll be more confident when there're big names associated with the movie, since that would virutally reduce our risk factors. That's the reason we prefer such movies. But, I cannot tell why these movies are flops or what went wrong where or why. Even the audience have this assurance from big names, but well... NaChaKi: You mean to say that you did estimate that these movies would run well? Sharwanand: Definitely, that's the notion! I am not sure if the audiences connected to the movie or not, but well, they didn't like it. NaChaKi: I'm not sure if Suman was also a hero in December 5va Tareekhu, or if you were a solo hero... Sharwanand: I was the solo hero. NaChaKi: Okay, thanks! Then, you acted as a solo hero in three movies - December 5va Tareekhu, Amma Cheppindi, Veedhi. In nearly all movies that you acted, you received good reviews for your part, but all the three movies in which you were a solo hero were damp at the box-office. How do you take it? Sharwanand: (Pauses) It's not how we take it! We want the film to run well, basically. If a film runs well, regardless of the fact that I was a solo hero or otherwise, everybody that worked for the movie get a good name. For instance, in the case of a successful Gamyam, Naresh, myself, Rao Ramesh Rao, the director Krish, writer Gandham Nagaraju... everyone of us got a good name. NaChaKi: It's the same with Vennela too... Sharwanand: Right! NaChaKi: Are you doing multistarrers as a part of your career plan? Or, are you doing it since settling as a solo hero is not yet stable? Sharwanand: If I have to do a solo hero, I should have a very good script, good director, or a good banner. That's the reason I didn't sign for several offers that I got - because I didn't want to do it just like that! I want to slow and steady... it's not like I want to be a hero only! I want to do nice films, with other reasonable expectations. Whatever makes me happy with a script I like, and whatever excites me, I'd do it. NaChaKi: Coming to multistarrers, you acted with both senior heroes like Venkatesh or Chiranjeevi, and young ones like Srikanth, Sumanth, Raja, etc. How was it working with other young heroes? Sharwanand: Everybody is cool! Everyone has one's own perspective. We tend to learn so many things, because they're all definitely seniors to us. As I acted in multistarrers, I learnt how to deal with things, how they act - in a closeup or in a long shot, ...there are so many things one can learn! It's been the biggest help for me - to act with all these wonderful actors! NaChaKi: You worked with Venkatesh for two movies - Sankranthi and Lakshmi, and one with Chiranjeevi - Shankar Dada MBBS. What were you experiences on the sets and off the sets? What's one thing that you'd never forget about either of them? Sharwanand: Working with them itself is something I cannot forget! ...It's not something I can explain. ...You see, it's like this - they're not just stars! Stars don't just happen with a few hits - they became stars because they're good-natured. You have to be a nice human being before you can be a star! They're nice human beings, indeed! When I was still new, we all used to go out together still. They used to take me around in a car - they didn't treat me like I was a newbie. This is all true with Venkatesh gaaru, Chiranjeevi gaaru, Srikanth, Sumanth... just everybody that I worked with! NaChaKi: Who did you like working with, among your heroines? You did two movies - Classmates and Gamyam - with Kamalini Mukharjee, but generally too, your heroines were not among the common choices for a Telugu film - Gopika, Shriya Reddy, and so on... Sharwanand: Everybody was fantastic, because everybody was simple! By the time I worked with them, they were already stars! They were in a better stage than me all the time. Working with them helped me even from the career point of view. They were always nice to me... Kamalini was a good friend to all of us - Naresh, Krish, and myself - and it helped all of us too! NaChaKi: In Gamyam, would you have loved to play "Gaali Seenu" instead of "Abhiram"? If you had complete choice before the shooting started, which would you have preferred to play? Why? Sharwanand: It depends on two things. If I got that role, I'd have definitely said I'd do it and that I'd want to do it! As an actor, I want to do any challenging role that's offered to me. When I knew it was Naresh doing that charater, I knew it was the perfect casting! I think he's apt for the role - probably I could not have done it so well! ...I could have done it as an actor, if I were given that role! I could see right through the script as to how suitable he's for the character! ...Many heroes of my generation don't accept such a role, but Naresh is one of the exceptional ones. There're only some people, me included, that are ready to do any challenging role given to them! We finally want to become heroes, but well, we're doing them all simultaneously and so it doesn't matter! NaChaKi: Today's young heroes are all dynamic, openminded, and want to take up any challenging role that comes their way! In the past, roles were etched out for certain heroes, particularly for the bigger heroes, and it was tough to imagine another artiste in place of one artiste. However, today, anyone can visualize any hero of their choice in nearly every movie! Is that more competition? What do you feel? Sharwanand: I don't think so! For example, I cannot replace Naresh for "Gaali Seenu" character. I shouldn't be talking for myself, but well, there'd be some movies where you know it works for you. If actors did well, and if the movie is good too, you cannot replace people therein. ...If I can make a name that I act well, that's all I need! © Copyright by Telugucinema.com
NaChaKi: How do you assess which role is better, at the script stage?? Sharwanand: You'll know the potential of each role. ...Everybody is a good actor - it's only the director that extracts the performance of good actors. That's the reason why I give all the credit I get to the director! Basically, it's the director that brings out what he wants, and that's what we have to portray! I cannot portray my own vision! ...It works for me anyway! NaChaKi: What's the best role that you played till now? Sharwanand: If I consider the level of work satisfaction, I'd name the role in Amma Cheppindi. It was a rare and challenging role, and I got good reviews. I was very happy that I did the role and everybody accepted it. Though the film didn't run well, my character and performance was appreciated. NaChaKi: Do you regret doing any movies, or not doing any movies? Sharwanand: Not at all, I don't regret doing any movies - not even a single one! ...The only chance that I felt I missed was Chandamama. Even now, I regret not being able to do that film. It was a good opportunity to work with Krissnavamsi gaaru but it really didn't work out! NaChaKi: You've acted in 11 movies till now. You had the maximum number of releases in your debut year (2004), though. What do you think about the whole career graph? Sharwanand: I think I am moving step by step as an actor. It's never that I had a big hit and shot to fame or something! And, people are starting to watch my movies - I am slowly getting to be in their minds now... NaChaKi: Where do you want to see yourself down the line ten years? Sharwanand: I don't see anything! I mean, I am just happy right now with whatever I have today. ...What I want is to be known to everyone, and to be known as a good actor! NaChaKi: Don't you think you already achieved most of it? At least, I think so...
Sharwanand: (Laughs) Most audience may know me, but I want to get that "brand name", so to say!i NaChaKi: What's your general outlook towards life? Sharwanand: It keeps changing for me! I was very rude, I was proud of myself being rich - it was back when I was in my intermediate. Later, when I was working on coming here on my own, I kept learning... There are so many things that I learnt that hard way! The hurt is different when someone on the lower rung falls and someone on the higher rung falls! To fall from Grade 100 to Grade 0 was something that I couldn't take without a shock - it's the ego factor! It hurts you while losing it, but it's a good thing - you'll know you're only a human being and nothing more than that! No body cares about what you're! If you're nice, you'll be respected for your good nature. You don't need to try to impress on somebody, but you have to change your mentality as may be necessary! Try to be good, don't harm anybody - there's nothing more one has to do for one's life. ...This is what I believe. NaChaKi: That's nice to hear! What message would you like to convey to our readers? Sharwanand: Nothing really! Just enjoy life! (Laughs)
NaChaKi: I am sorry if this interview in the airport had been a trouble... We continued to speak for a little while more, before I thanked him profusely for his time, and wished him all the best for his career.
Interview:
NaChaKi
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