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| Ajay in AA okkadu |
Ajay is a well-known name to movie-lovers. Even a kid can name him as the one who played the role of Pandu's friend in Pokiri or as who played the villain in Vikramarkudu. Ajay, who started with a small role, came a long way and became a hero now. I met him the first time with Anne Ravi, executive producer for the film Souryam. I was in touch with from then on and caught up with him when he was dubbing for Aa Okkadu. We chatted a while after he was done with the dubbing, and the same is presented as an exclusive interview for TeluguCinema.Com:
Sri: Tell me about your background.
Ajay: I do not have any film background. I am from Vijayawada and my father is a businessman. I thus had a chance to see a lot of places along with him from the childhood. I came to Hyderabad to enroll myself in long-term coaching for EAMCET, as my father wanted me to see me as an engineer. I used to watch every movie that released in Vijayawada, ever since I was a child, and I even used to go to some movies more than once when I had already completed all movies playing in theaters (laughs)! When I came to Hyderabad, it was like I now had access to more theatres and also more movies to watch (laughs). The coaching institute was in Jubilee Hills and I used to see some shooting or the other everyday in the vicinity of my institute. Slowly, I found myself asking inside, "Why not me?", but my father wanted me to complete studies before I venture into films. I thus went to Pune to complete my engineering, I came back to Hyderabad and completed my MBA too. Meanwhile, I also joined Madhu Film Institute for basic acting lessons. I attended six months of classes before I was through, I got the role in Kauravudu.
Sri: It's a long journey from Kauravudu to Aa Okkadu...
Ajay: It's with the film Khushi that I reached a wider audience and people started recognizing me. Then, with films like Pokiri and Vikramarkudu, I fell in the groove, so to say.
Sri: Even after you proved yourself as the main villain in Vikramarkudu and in a good supporting role in Pokiri, why is it that you still choose small roles that have not much scope for performance?
Ajay: That's because I want to do any role. It's the director who has to decide what I am capable of. If Rajamouli gaaru had not given me that role, how'd anyone know I can do it? The dressing, thanks to Rama Rajamouli gaaru, and action are completely taken care of by Rajamouli for that film. It's after Vikramarkudu that I started getting offers in Tamil and Kannada too. Thus, what I am cast in as is the director's vision as to how to use me and it's not simply mine.
