Every actor should explore genres and provide new perspectives: Tilak
Actor Tilak Shekar enjoys switching between different characters and personally admits that simply being on set makes him happy. “Even though I realised acting was my true calling quite early, my journey in cinema is far from a fairy tale. It demands hard work, patience, and perseverance to thrive in the industry,” says the actor, who has appeared in over 60 films, and is known for his role as an antagonist in Prashanth Neel’s Uggram.
Tilak’s last appearances include Iruvudellava Bittu and a cameo in films like Rathnan Prapancha, and Puneeth Rajkumar’s James. After a gap, he’s now awaiting the release of his next film Dvandva, which is set to release this week.
According to the actor, who plays the lead, Dvandva derives its name from the concept of duality, where every character in the film has both positive and negative sides, depending on the audience’s perspective, says Tilak as he describes the film as a unique blend of political drama, science fiction, and thriller.
The film is produced by Mahesh under the Commonman Productions banner and features Asiya Firdose, Nayana Shobraj, Dinesh, and Bala Rajwadi in significant roles. Akash Parva handles the music, while Rishikesh takes charge of cinematography.
Tilak gives credit to debutant director Bharath L for his innovative approach to filmmaking. “Bharath, who comes from a corporate background, has introduced a fresh perspective to filmmaking right in his first film. With Dvandva, he explores the concept of hyperthymesia, where a character has a photographic memory, and others exploit this condition.
I play a neurosurgeon tasked with treating and protecting this character. Whether I succeed in safeguarding this person is the essence of the film,” Tilak explains. He adds, “Working with a newcomer like Bharath on Dvandva was a good experience. I admired the director’s confidence a lot. I believe that as actors, we should explore different genres and offer new perspectives. Ultimately, it’s up to the audience to deliver the final verdict,” he says.
Tilak believes in continually challenging himself as an actor, and he has always aspired to elevate his roles in various projects. “While I enjoy experimenting with various roles, I try to choose the ones that resonate with me, even if some don’t pan out the way I wish,” he concludes.