Carrying the name of a celebrated star is rarely simple. For Aditya, being Supreme Hero Shashikumar’s son has brought early attention, but little room for error. Having seen four films come and go after the pandemic without a solid box-office hit, the actor looks at Raashi releasing on November 13 as his first real chance to reset. "Any star kid carries that weight, and it often feels like a boulder placed on your shoulders," Aditya says. "You are constantly expected to match a massive legacy like Appa's. But I treat it as an enjoyable challenge. If my father wanted to use his clout, he could have pushed me into a massive banner from day one, but he believes that going through genuine struggle is the only way an actor can truly reach the audience's heart."
Yet, behind that acceptance lies an uncomfortable reality: the industry never opened its arms to him. When asked plainly why Kannada filmmakers seemed reluctant to back him the way star sons usually are, Aditya speaks without pretence. "I have no idea... I just hope they are still supporting me deep down inside," he admits. "From my launch to my second and third film, there simply was not any kind of support system. Everyone in the fraternity is Appa's friend, all the senior personalities know my dad. I often wonder what I did wrong or what else I was supposed to do. If someone truly wants to back Shashikumar's son, they will step forward and do it. I never wanted to waste their time chasing after favours, because the moment you ask, you become obliged. In fact, when I walk into rooms, many people do not even realise who I am. Someone will ask, 'Who are you?' and I say, 'I am an actor, Aditya.' Then someone else will whisper, 'Oh, that is Shashikumar's son.' Most people in the industry did not even know Shashikumar had a son entering films. So I chose to keep to myself and let the work do the talking."
Cinema was never a part of Aditya’s daily life growing up. His parents kept him away from studios until his late twenties. "I was never taken to sets as a child, nor did I hang out with film stars," he says. "The very first film set I ever visited was Kurukshetra at Ramoji Film City, when Appa was shooting alongside Darshan sir. My mother wanted me to complete engineering and move abroad for a steady corporate job, and Appa felt the same. After his car accident and the huge personal and financial hardships our family faced, my parents deliberately kept me far away from the limelight." Breaking that rule took months of effort. "Appa knew how tough this line is when work dries up. I couldn't convince him alone, so I went to my grandfather. Thatha told Appa, 'You took a chance in cinema and found success; if it is written in his destiny, let him try too.' Once I jumped in, I knew I had to swim across on my own."
A dry phase followed when releases came and went quietly. "By 2024, I was sitting at home with no offers that made sense," Aditya recalls, adding, "People approached me for tiny projects asking me to act for free, which felt disheartening." Things changed when cinematographer Halmesh told director-composer Vijay Palegar and producer Akhilesh about him for Raashi. To play Shiva, an earnest village student from Mandya who moves to Bengaluru, Aditya attended workshops to lose his city body language. "During a workshop, I wore spectacles because bright studio lights give me migraines," he says. "The director saw that and said, 'Keep these on; without glasses you don't look like an innocent village boy.' Then came the flat, coconut-oiled hair. When audiences watch Shiva, they will not see Aditya."
The real test came during a private preview. "In all my previous films, Appa had never seen the first copy," Aditya explains. "Toward the climax, I grew scared of what he might say and hid in the washroom. When I walked back, Appa, the producer, and the director were all in tears. I panicked, thinking the film had flopped. Then Appa hugged me tight and said, 'You have performed brilliantly, my boy.' Hearing that from him gave me confidence." While he is quick to clarify that he cannot match his father’s spontaneous dance style, relying instead on rehearsals and his training in martial arts, he has stopped reading online trolls. "Appa hears a beat and invents moves on the spot; that is god-gifted. What hurts is when people write cheap comments about Appa online. At 60, he is still active and dancing. For myself, I have learned to ignore the noise."
Praveen Kumar: Breaking the star-kid perception
Praveen Kumar, who plays Shiva’s college senior in Raashi, says Aditya left his surname at the door. "Coming from an ordinary background, we grew up watching stars like Shashikumar," Praveen says. "When I reached the set, I expected some starry attitude. But Aditya walked up, introduced himself, and started rehearsing like an equal. There was no arrogance at all. Our scenes worked because he came to learn, not to show off his background."
Vinod Gobbaragala: Grounded comedy over social media gags
Vinod Gobbaragala plays Shiva’s loyal village buddy and insists on keeping things real. "Comedy should not be forced into every scene just because you have a funny image online; people see through that/ Comedy should not be forced into every scene just because you have a funny image online; people see through that," Gobbaragala notes.