If one were to ask Ajai Rao, ‘What’s in a name?’ The answer would surely be ‘A lucky charm’. But for the actor, the name Krishna is not just about luck, it represents passion, his ambitions, his career...his life. The name has become synonymous to his films and his personal life too. Having rechristened his name to Krishna Ajai Rao, before he did Krishna Leela, the actor’s next will also have the blessings of the lord.
The film directed by Anil Kumar, which goes on floors on August 19, was initially named Mava I Love You, but has now been changed to Krishna Rukku with a tagline, Made for each other. “Every actor needs recognition. Sometimes it comes through a character that has clicked with the audience and the name sticks and becomes a brand. The name ‘Krishna’ has become more helpful to producers than to me. I never demand to have the name in my films; it is the initiative of the producers who want me to continue with it as they find it more beneficial,” explains the actor.
With Krishna Leela. having worked wonders at the box office, the name has spelt success for him though it was first associated with the actor when he did Krishnan Love Story, directed by Shashank and produced by Uday Mehta.
“Uday Mehta started the Krishna series and they are the rightful owners of the name. And going by the success that the name has brought me, I feel blessed by lord Krishna and I am only glad to accept his bounty,” says Ajai, a staunch devotee of the lord, with his home filled with idols of the god.
Coming to the character in Krishna Rukku, the interesting part of the film, he says is that one can see a certain attitude in his character, which has never been attempted in a love story of his previous films.
“I have usually donned characters which are soft spoken. But in Krishna Rukku, I will be taking a completely new avatar. The audience can see an upgraded version of me which I believe the youth will appreciate. Though the film is based against a village backdrop, I will portray an urban style,” he reveals.
Ajai will be cast opposite Amulya in the film and according to him, after the photo shoot with her, he is confident that the pair has the potential of creating magic on screen.
“Our pair will be appreciated like that of Radhika and I or the Yash and Radhika pair. The combination will be loved by the fans as it perfectly matches the film’s flavour,” he says. The first schedule of the Krishna Rukku will start in Chikmagalur.
Our pair has already been a hit with fans : Amulya
Fans of Amulya have been very positive about Krishna Rukku where she has been paired opposite Ajai Rao. “From the time, the makers have announced Krishna - Rukku, a lot of my fans have been saying only good things on social media. In fact one of the fans tweeted saying ‘Krishna and Rukku are making me crazy. In that way, our pair has already become a hit even before the project has gone on the floors,”says Amulya, who met Ajai at the photoshoot and felt that he is quite a jovial person. She is also happy that there is a change in the character she is playing in Krishna Rukku. “My series of films, had me blabbering and scolding the heroes. This time, the hero will be scolding me and I remain a little silent in this film. I need this change because I was fed up of scolding all my heroes,” she says.
Met Amitabh only to seek his blessings
On talks that he will be doing a film with Amitabh Bachchan, Ajai emphasises that they are mere rumours. “I am a big fan of Big B and so I had requested Shivarajkumar to accompany him when meeting the actor while giving the wedding card of his daughter. I just went, clicked a photo with him and took his blessings,” he says.