Dhananjay, who proved his mettle as hero, is often donning characters with negative shades. Case in point, Daali in Tagaru. And now, the audience have started accepting him for his baddie roles. After Daali, he is now famously come to be known as Mitayi Suri, a character he plays in Darshan-starrer Yajamana.
Incidentally, in Dhruva Sarja’s Pogaru and in Puneeth Rajkumar-starrer Yuvarathnaa, too, he will be playing a negative shade. In addition, he has Suri Popcorn Monkey Director and Daali, in which he plays the lead. This apart, the actor features in a pivotal role in Vijayaprasad’s directorial Totapuri. “I am an actor first and then a hero or villain,” says Dhananjay, who is happy that his baddie image is gaining him traction.
He goes on to add: “Whether hero or villain, the whistles and claps are coming in from my people for the characters I play. This makes all the difference. Ultimately, the connect I make with the audience is what matters,” says Dhananjay, who is glad that he is not being typecast. “No director has come and told me that only a particular character suits me. I have been getting varied roles. In a way, it is helping understand my strengths better,” he adds.
Playing the role of villains, Dhananjay has realised that it is not about screenspace but the impact he makes with his characters. “I am not the baddie who just wants to get beaten up. I don’t accept such roles. As a villain, even I need to do some work. There should some characterisation,” he says, adding that he has ‘become more human’ after playing villainous roles. “I am more clear in my head, and I more sensitive.”