He has worked in as many as 25 films, but Gopichand cannot shake off the feeling of nervousness before a film’s release. His Pantham, directed by debutant Chakravarthy, is getting released today. “Every new release feels like a debut,” says Gopi. Pantham is an action film, and I can’t help but note that most action films follow a very similar blueprint.
The actor says this film’s a tad different. “It addresses a larger social concern and highlights a severe issue that all of us are going through these days. Sure, there are commercial elements, but the story also exposes people to some real ideas and engages them both emotionally and intellectually. We have also tried to present an effective solution to this prevalent issue and I’ll be glad if someone applies it in real life.”
The Oxygen actor also shares that he accepted this role because he wanted to do a film that draws inspiration from the films made by his father and renowned filmmaker, T Krishna. “He made several revolutionary films that reflect contemporary sensibilities. I’ve been longing to do a film with such a story, and to an extent, this film has made my dream come true. Also, I identified myself completely with the character, Vikranth.”
The trailer shows the protagonist taking potshots at a political party. But Gopi is not worried about kicking up a controversy and doesn’t think it will affect the film either. “I can see why you would wonder about it after seeing the trailer. But when you see the actual film, you will understand it better. The film is not aimed at any political party or a politician. Instead, it educates people on some social issues.”
Gopi has cemented his place as an action hero and feels fortunate to have got the approval of the masses. “That image is hard to come by for an actor. Despite this image though, I have done comedy, adventure, family and love stories that have all been lapped up by the audience.”
Of late though, he has suffered a string of failures, and he admits as much. “This is the most difficult time for me in terms of choosing scripts. I get affected by failures, but have no regrets as they help me figure out where I have gone wrong. Be it a hit or a flop, I am always trying to learn something. I hope that a good film will come my way. At the moment, I am focussing on doing what I’m good at.”
On why he chose this film, he says, “I was pleased with the narration of Chakri, but was initially apprehensive about how he would direct it as I’ve made some poor choices recently.
However, I’m not complaining about it because I have only myself to blame.” Gopi goes on to talk about the difficulty of picking good projects. “On paper, everything looks good, but during execution, some directors fail to stick to their vision. However, because of the money spent by the producer, we try to promote such films with a straight face. Sometimes, even good films fail due to poor promotions.”
The actor says that being a parent of a three-year-old (Virat Krishna) has helped him adjust to his life better. “I think I have become more patient and more adjusting after having him. I think twice before making a decision.”
He continues, “He watches all my films, and is a big fan of the action genre. He enjoys seeing me beat up goons and complains when there are no fights in a love story (smiles).”
For the moment, Gopi has no plans to make his son be part of Telugu cinema. “He’s in LKG now, and I don’t want to influence him at this age. Even if we make such attempts, education may have different plans for him.” Given that biopics are all the rage, I ask him what he thinks about making one about his father. He says, “If it’s ever made, the story, I can assure you, will be made with utmost care, and without needless sensationalisation.”
muralikrishna.db@newindianexpress @onlymurali