In yet another surprise casting decision, director Suri has brought back actor-producer Naveen on board for his upcoming film Suri Popcorn Monkey Tiger, produced by KP Srikanth.
Having acted in films such as Kadhale En Kadhale in Tamil and Nayaka in Kannada, and produced films like Romeo and Chaddi Dost, Naveen will be back to doing what he loves best — acting —after a hiatus. In his upcoming, he will be playing the role of an antagonist.
Besides Dhananjay, who plays the lead, director Suri has mostly gone in for fresh cast, including Niveditha, Sapthami, Amrutha and Amith Jolly Bastian.
“Back then, I was a newcomer to the industry and didn’t have any idea about what the future held. What I always knew was that I wanted to be an actor. In fact, I never thought I would become a producer. But life is unpredictable. When Suri offered me this role in his upcoming film, I couldn’t say ‘no’ to the opportunity coming my way. When Suri, asked me, ‘Naveen, would you want to be part of my film,’ I said ‘I am now in your hands, sir’. I didn’t think twice,” says Naveen, who is married to well-known actress Bhavana.
“Suri is a respected director across south India. So, even if he ventures into something new, nobody questions him because everyone knows he thinks out-of-the-box. And he has proved himself each time. I have complete faith in him, so I don’t worry that I’m going along with his ideas,” he adds.
While he is yet to know the complete details of his role, Naveen says it’s too early to think of the outcome. “I have my fingers crossed. Working with Suri is like batting for the Indian cricket team, which is already faring well. I am nervous, but hope to live up to Suri’s expectations,” he signs off.