Dheeren Ramkumar is the latest scion of the Rajkumar family to enter Sandalwood. The grandson of the matinee idol and son of veteran actor Ramkumar, Dheeren joins an illustrious list of actors from the Rajkumar family, including Shivarajkumar, Puneeth Rajkumar, Raghavendra Rajkumar, Sriimurali, Vinay, Yuvarajkumar, and Dhanya Ramkumar.
After multiple delays, Dheeren’s debut film, Shiva 143, is set to finally see the light of day this week. Was Dheeren’s entry into the industry out of passion, or was it a case of seeing most of his family members being involved in cinema?
“I always had a passion for cinema. I was brought up around cinema, and we always spoke about movies at home too. Growing up, I would juggle between the sets of my Grand Dad, my father, and my uncles. Once I completed my education, the passion just got affirmed. People around me always felt I was fit to be a hero. I earned my confidence after doing a short film during my college days,” he says.
Even though Dheeren comes from a long line of successful actors, he did come well prepared for the industry.
“I trained in all aspects of being an actor. Once I decided on my debut, I concentrated on training for the role in Shiva 143, and took part in the acting workshops conducted by director Anil Kumar.”
There is no doubt that comparisons abound for Dheeren, and the young actor is candid about being influenced by the films starring his family members.
“A few people compare my features to my Granddad. Some say I speak like Shivanna mama and some believe I behave like Puneeth mama. All these comparisons come because of the surroundings I live in,” he says. Shiva 143 is a rather interesting choice for a debut, and Dheeren delves into the reasoning behind choosing the adaptation of the Telugu film, RX 100.
“Honestly, if the dubbing industry was as strong as today, I wouldn’t have picked up this film. Having said that, the subject is strong, and my role definitely has scope for acting. There are a lot of shades to Shiva. There is ruggedness, irritability, and innocence. I had so many things to showcase in one role, and I felt it would help to prove my acting abilities. The story kept haunting me, and I felt Shiva 143 is the film I need to begin with.”
Nowadays, it is not enough to just not act in a film. The promotions of a film are equally important. “Today, actors need a lot of preparation in shooting and handling the film’s promotions as well. The tradition of sticking posters still exists, and it should be utilised well. The language of cinema and promotions are everchanging, and it is important to keep up with the trend,” he signs off.