BANGALORE: When top actors in the film industry across the country are opting for roles on television, it is clear that the small screen just cannot be ignored anymore. This becomes evident when you meet Kiran Srinivas, who believes that TV shows have made him a better actor.
The actor, who left Sandalwood to pursue his Bollywood dream, is now back with Niruttara, directed by Apurva Kasaravalli.
"I am a movie buff and I have grown up watching some amazing Kannada films. But in 2011, I couldn't connect with the kind of films being made here anymore. When I was in Mumbai, I got some cliched offers from Sandalwood," he says. However, the actor tells City Express that he's here because Niruttara's script caught his attention, not because he wasn't satisfied with what Bollywood had to offer. "I am here to act and not to be a star, and I'm glad that I finally got the film I was looking for. Initially, when I was offered Niruttara, I had given my dates for a serial on Star TV. Luckily, that was postponed," adds Kiran.
Talking about his experience in Mumbai and the small screen, Kiran, who started his career with Haage Sumane, says, "I left for Mumbai in 2011. I enjoyed working in Anil Kapoor's 24 and Paanch for Channel V. Back then, when I started my career in Kannada, I thought that the silver screen was the ultimate. But once I reached Mumbai, my perception changed. I saw the professional approach of television and the amazing reach it had. I realised that it is not about the medium, but the content.
"If a film is bad, you might still watch it. But on TV, it takes the audience a second to change the channel. So it is far more challenging. TV as a medium has grown so much. No wonder, superstars from Bollywood are enjoying their stint on TV," he says.
Kiran admits that TV has helped him become a more spontaneous actor. "There is always an awareness of time. I am confident that now the audience can expect some good work from me. I am not a half-baked actor anymore," he says.Influencing Diganth?
His best friend Diganth now shares an apartment with him in Mumbai. However, Kiran clarifies that he did not influence Diganth to move to Bollywood. "We share the same passion for films. Once I came to Mumbai and understood the industry, I told him not to limit himself to Sandalwood and suggested that there are options for him in Mumbai. Since he wanted to venture out to a different industry, he decided to come to Mumbai," he says.