Vybhav’s connection with films started early on. After all, with his father, Narasimhulu being a producer and theatre owner, Vybhav grew up breathing and talking films. So his debut in Tarakasura doesn’t come as a surprise. “Over the last 20 years, I’ve been watching films every single day. Falling in love with the big screen was inevitable,” Vybhav tells City Express.
As a child, Vybhav recalls watching the first half-an-hour to 40 minutes of a film and would get super excited at the time of the hero’s entry. “That’s when you get to hear the whistles from the audience. I would get goosebumps,” says the newcomer, adding, “While everyone my age would spend their summer holidays at their grandparents’, I would spend mine in theatres. Even to this day, if I am not shooting, I will be at theatres. I never miss the first day, the first show of any film,” says the newbie, who has done his B.Sc in animation.
However, when it was time to make his debut, Vybhav knew that it wouldn’t be easy. “Unlike films that newcomer’s often debut with, I was clear that I didn’t want mine to be a college romance story. While we were looking for a script, Tarakasura (directed by Chandrashekar Bandiyappa) came by. I found the script different and challenging for a newcomer, which is why I picked it up,” he says.
The film has been in the making for the last two years years now. The reason for the delay, Vybhav says, is because of the detailed work it required. “I have three shades in the film - a mass look, a stylish hero and that of a 16-year-old boy. For a newcomer, I thought it was a different film to come by.”
At this point, However, Vybhav reveals that the title of Tarakasura refers to the villain and not the hero. However, the film takes us deep into the lives of traditional folk artistes, especially those who practice morning hour predictions. They are locally known as budbudkes. Through this film I learnt that there are 1.5 crore folk artistes who follow the budbudke tradition” he says.
Did his father’s stature help Vybhav? “At no point was I pressurised. In fact, my family initially thought that my elder brother (Kishore) would be an actor, but fate had different plans. He looks after the family business and I am following my passion.”
Tarakasura features Manvitha
Kamath in the lead, with Hollywood actor Danny Sapani playing the antagonist. “We were particular about the looks of the villain, which is why we thought Danny was the best fit,” he says.
Getting into skin of the character