A theatre actor, a Radio Jockey and now a protagonist, actor Vinayak Joshi began as a child artiste in the blockbuster film, Nammoora Mandara Hoove by Sunil Kumar Desai. It has been a long journey since then for this aspiring actor, who finally bagged the lead role in Preetham Gubbi’s Nam Duniya Nam Style after acting in almost 65 films.
When asked about this long gap, he said, “I really don’t know, but these 65 films were definitely a journey which helped me transform as a person. I worked for 14 years in cinema in supporting roles after which, I went on to be an RJ for 5 years. But my passion to remain an actor, made me quit the job last year. But things didn’t work the way I wanted. There was frustration. People who promised to support me, left me in lurch. It took me a year to recover. It was last September when I was considered to play the lead role in the film by Preetham Gubbi and finally I was relieved,” said Vinayak, who feels entering the industry has taught him a lesson.
“Ultimately I have learnt to mind my own business. It is not necessary to please everybody. Be good to yourself,” he stated.Vinayak also tried his luck in reality shows and entered Bigg Boss to make a quick buck but made an exit after four weeks in the house. “Of course, I entered the house for the winning money and also to get some exposure. For people, it might just be a show but for us it was an experience,” said Vinayak adding, “No normal human being can live for long, disconnecting themselves from everything. As individuals, it was an opportunity to introspect.”
Coming back to his film, Nam Duniya Nam Style, Vinayak felt that the conviction he had in him allowed Preetham to cast him in the multi-starrer film. “It was also executive producer, Yogi G Raj who suggested my name. With this film, Preetham has placed three known faces on a bigger platform. For example, Sunil who is now part of this movie was previously successful on small screen and Nikith Shetty is a popular VJ. He wanted to give new talent to the industry and he has done it quite well,” he said.Vinayak feels that this film will open up a lot of opportunities for him in the future. “I definitely feel that I have given my best. People who have seen the rushes felt that I have portrayed a unique character. If they are not impressed, why will they talk about me?” asked Vinayak.
Talking about the film, he says it is about a journey of three youths; a genre which has become quite popular. “Multi-starrer films have become more of a business than a trend. It is done keeping commercials in mind as well as the viewer’s perspective. I think it is a good sign,” he stated.He also admitted that in future, directors and technicians will play the main role than an actor. “We already have superstars in the industry. To become one like them, it will need another life because the industry is growing fast. At present, fun-filled and light-hearted cinemas will only work. For that matter, Preetham has chosen us because the script demanded so. It is a good product by the director. To an extent, he has taken out work from us in a very friendly manner,” he said.Though he began as a child artist, it was not an easy task for Vinayak to get into limelight. He said, “When you are an actor, your background is very important. Initially quite a lot of people supported me. Beyond a point, I felt it was not right to ask for more. Somewhere I was lucky to create a brand for myself but was unlucky to have not gone further. I don’t blame anybody. There is so much of talent around which is going unnoticed because they are unlucky. I hope I don’t join the list. For the years I have waited, I hope to get a fruitful result now. I used to earn a lot of money but I left everything because of the passion for acting. Though the journey has been slow, it looks strong,” he said.