Debutant actor Dilip Prakash knows that the road to stardom is deceptive. In a short span of time, he has come to realise that a real-life hero can make his own rules, but a screen hero can't. The budding actor, who plays the lead in director Mahesh Babu’s Crazy Boy, says that he was lucky to have met the right people.
“If I have chosen this as my career, I have to fit in,” says the 6-foot-tall actor.
A mechanical engineer-turned-actor, he started his acting career with a small role in Malashree's Mahakali. He says that his confidence has been his biggest strength, other than meeting the right people at the right time.
It was the film’s writer Ajay Kumar who saw potential in Dilip.
“I met Ajay during the making of Mahakali and we connected. He introduced me to G Chandru, the producer of Crazy Boy, and later I met director Mahesh Babu. He took me on board, guided me throughout the making of the film and today he is my best friend and mentor,” he says.
According to him, the team did not consider him as an outsider, which is usually the case for a debutant with no godfathers.
“I got an opportunity to learn from many senior actors who were part of this project,” says Dilip, who thoroughly enjoyed the dance shoot, Vinanti Maadalila... in Thailand and got to experience many aspects of commercial filmmaking.
“I got to do a lot of stunts and dancing, which is good for any newcomer. The plus point of this film is the fights. I had learnt stunts from Chamaraj Master and this film had Ravi Varma directing the stunt sequences, which came as an added advantage,” he says.
Dilip says that Crazy Boy will be a power-packed entertainer and revolves around a youngster who is passionate about his family and crazy about bikes.
“The film has a social message for the youth and parents too,” he says.
Dilip believes that the launch of an actor determines his success.
“Though there are many people who want to be a hero, not everyone gets lucky and an
impressive launch pad, which I got with Crazy Boy. The hero should be a complete package, with no camera fear, good personality and a good amount of courage," says the actor, whose parents are government employees.
“My parents wanted me to be an IAS officer, but I chose to be an actor and luckily I have their support,” adds the actor who is crazy about fitness and travelling, having driven extensively all over India.