Actor Abhinav Gomatam, who won audiences over with his impeccable comic timing and memorable one-liners in Save The Tigers, is back with the third season of the popular series. Premiering on June 19, Save The Tigers 3 promises a fresh twist, double roles, and plenty of laughter. In an exclusive conversation with CE, Abhinav opens up about the new season, playing contrasting characters, working with Chiranjeevi, and the much-awaited ENE 2.
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What can audiences expect from Save The Tigers 3?
Season 1 was largely comedy-driven and entertained audiences with its light-hearted narrative. Season 2 was a mix of comedy and emotions. This time, we’re going back to our roots. The story revolves around two parallel worlds that eventually merge into one. This collision creates a lot of confusion, which naturally leads to plenty of comedy. All three couples play double roles, and when they enter each other’s worlds, a series of hilarious situations unfolds.
How was your experience shooting for Season 3?
This season required all of us, especially the actors, to be extremely familiar with the script. While the script is written linearly, the shoot happens non-linearly. We could be shooting scenes from the fourth episode on the first day and scenes from the first episode much later.
Because of the complexity of the storyline, we had to read the script multiple times to fully understand how it progressed. Usually, I read a script once or twice before a project begins, but for this season, I went through it three or four times. Since the screenplay constantly moves between parallel worlds, we needed complete clarity about where our characters were emotionally and narratively in every scene.
Tell us about working with Vennela Kishore this season.
Vennela Kishore plays God in the series. Although he appears for a limited portion of the story, he’s the catalyst who brings the two parallel worlds together. Interestingly, we didn’t have scenes directly with him. He exists in the heavenly realm while his ministers and assistants come down to Earth and influence the events that unfold. Whenever those portions were being shot, it was easier to understand where we were in the story. But when they weren’t around, we had to be extra conscious about which version of our characters we were portraying.
Tell us more about your different characters.
In Seasons 1 and 2, Rahul is someone who quits his job, wants to become a writer, and gradually becomes laid-back and somewhat lazy. In this season, he encounters Rahul 2, an alternate version of himself from another world. Rahul 2 is everything Rahul isn’t. He’s extremely successful, powerful, confident, and commands authority at his workplace. He’s bossy and highly driven. Exploring the contrast between these two personalities was incredibly exciting for me as an actor. The same applies to all the actors because each of us had to portray two distinctly different versions of our characters.
One of your dreams came true when you got to work with Chiranjeevi. What was that experience like?
Honestly, I can’t put it into words. Working with Chiranjeevi sir in Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu was something I never even allowed myself to dream about because it felt beyond my reach. When director Anil Ravipudi called me last year and asked me to come to his office, I had no idea what it was about. When he told me he wanted me for a role alongside Chiranjeevi sir, I was completely shocked. It felt unreal. Working with Anil sir itself was a wonderful experience, but sharing screen space with Chiranjeevi garu was something extraordinary. To me, he’s simply limitless. He’s achieved everything an actor can aspire to. What amazed me most was his humility. Despite being a superstar, he interacted with everyone like a friend. He was generous with his suggestions and inputs and made everyone around him feel comfortable. For the first week, I kept pinching myself to make sure it was actually happening. It was also inspiring to witness his professionalism firsthand. We often hear about his discipline, punctuality, and commitment to being a producer’s actor, but seeing it in action was truly eye-opening.
Tell us about ENE 2. Can audiences expect more comedy from Kaushik?
I don’t know if I can quantify whether there’s more comedy or less comedy, but I can confidently say that ENE 2 is very much on track. To be honest, I’m also a little nervous about how audiences will receive it because ENE 1 has such a devoted fan base. I’ve met people who’ve told me they’ve watched it 50 times. It’s one of those films people revisit with friends again and again. We’ve completed around 80 percent of the shoot, and I’m extremely happy with what Tharun Bhascker has done as both a writer and director. In many ways, I’m glad this film is happening now rather than in 2021, when it was originally planned. It feels like the right time. All of us have evolved as actors over the last six years, and I think that growth has only helped us approach ENE 2 in a better way. I’m confident audiences will enjoy it, provided they don’t compare it solely through the lens of nostalgia.
What’s next for you?
At the moment, there are two projects that are yet to begin production. Both are exciting films. Apart from that, I’m also listening to a few scripts where I may be playing the lead. Those discussions are progressing well, and I’m looking forward to sharing more details soon.