Deja vu is how Santosh Shobhan describes facing the camera for the first time in his life. The actor who is gearing up for his second film as lead with Paper Boy tomorrow has always known that this is where he belongs.
“I remember telling my friends when I was in the second year of college in Bengaluru, that I would drop out if I get an opportunity and as it turns out I did,” reminisces Santosh. While his first film Thanu Nenu, which tanked at the box office, came about when he was 19 – Paper Boy is coming out three years after he was last seen on the silver screen.
“Honestly, it is because no one hired me,” he quips adding, “Paper Boy was an audition I had given two years ago. In fact, our executive producer Murali Mamilla believed in me when no one else did. I was working all through these three years but the films were not coming out. It’s finally happening and I am excited about it.” He also admits that a lot has changed since. “When I first faced the camera I was extremely confident brinking on arrogance. But the gap has really calmed me down and has put me in my place,” he admits.
The 23-year-old also shares that he put a little bit of his own into the role he played in the film. “I met hawkers and actual paper boys early in the morning, in various places, like Krishna Nagar and Langer House, and spent time with them just to get acquainted with their life before playing Ravi. It’s not a method, but to do that adds authenticity and authenticity is magic,” says Santosh.
Santosh is often recognised because of his late father Shobhan, known for directing Varsham in his time. One would say that this cemented his access into the industry and Santosh has no qualms acknowledging it. He, however, has a different perspective towards the same.
“I believe that whatever I have come to become is because of a single mother who worked hard to bring us up. But because of the goodwill that my father has garnered, people within the industry are really nice to me, even though he hasn’t been around for 11 years. It is certainly a privilege I wouldn’t have if I wasn’t his son and I will never take that for granted,” he says signing off.
— Srividya Palaparthi
srividya.palaparthi@newindianexpress.com
@PSrividya53