HYDERABAD: There is no dearth of talented and successful directors in Telugu cinema.
These directors who are well-versed with every facet of filmmaking and made a name for themselves in their own right, are now making a transition to acting and calling the shots in front of the camera.
After the likes of Dasari Narayana Rao, Kodi Ramakrishna, K Vishwanath and Singeetham Srinivasa Rao setting the benchmarks by donning the greasepaint, more and more accomplished directors are following in their footsteps to make a lasting impression with their performances.
Let’s take a quick look at the directors who are evincing interest in acting:
VV Vinayak
Director VV Vinayak, known for churning out high-voltage action entertainers, is all set to make a first big impact with his performance as a lead actor in Seenayya –The complete emotion.
However, it is not the first time he has donned the greasepaint. His first act was that of a son of a corrupted officer in Chiranjeevi-starrer Tagore (2003).
He then also played a cameo in Chiranjeevi’s yet another social drama and comeback film, Khaidi No.150.
He will soon be seen playing the role of a farmer-turned-mechanic in the film produced by Dil Raju.
“I never thought of turning a hero and this transition is still not sinking in and has come as a pleasant surprise to me. When Dil Raju offered me this film, my only prerequisite was to not follow the commercial template like having forced comedy, artificial story and song-and-dance sequences. The story of Seenayya stems from the real-life experiences of my director Nnarasimmha, but he gave it the treatment of a biopic. I have lost a few kilos to play this character and I am feeling nervous to stand in front of the camera in a new avatar,” says Vinayak.
Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam
Like Vinayak, Tharun Bhascker is no stranger to acting as he enthralled the audience with his portrayal of a tough cop in Vishwak Sen’s Falaknuma Das.
He has always got that ease, personality and the capacity to make a consummate performer and even though the film ended up as a flop, his acting has received praises from all quarters.
He is now successfully making the transition into acting and plays the lead role in actor Vijay Deverakonda’s maiden production Meeku Maathrame Cheptha.
The light-hearted comedy also starring Anasuya Baradwaj, Vani Bhojan, Abhinav Gomatam and others is directed by Chennai-based short-film director Shammer Sultan.
The teaser and song promos of the film look promising and the audience can’t wait for enough to see his efforts as an actor on November 1.
Sukumar
Director Sukumar has been the face of intellectual cinema with sharp wits for more than a decade now. This gritty filmmaker, who is relishing in the success of Rangasthalam, made a turn to acting at the behest of director Harish Shankar with Valmiki.
A remake of Tamil film Jigarthanda, the remake presented him in his usual self, a film director, known for his obsession for mathematics and physics.
If his performance is anything to by, he should have taken up acting a lot earlier and shouldn’t hesitate to explore his newfound love once in a while in front of the camera.
He is now prepping up to direct his Arya 2 actor Allu Arjun in an action entertainer based on red sanders smuggling.
Vi Anand
Vi Anand is a man of many vocations. While he still makes interesting sci-fi and supernatural romantic thrillers, his effort as an actor has excited the audience the most in recent times.
The architect-turned-director has made his acting debut in a crucial cameo in actor Sundeep Kishan’s romantic thriller Ninu Veedani Needanu Nene.
He played Doctor Eshwar, who agrees to perform a complicated surgery to separate the brain of a software engineer from his mysterious reflection.
Irrespective of the film’s result, it is evident that Vi Anand surely has a promising career in front of the camera.
“Vi Anand and I worked together in Tiger and ever since, we share a great rapport. It was my idea to get him on board for a crucial cameo, which he couldn’t refuse. It is exciting to see him debut as an actor in my production,” says Sundeep.
The film also had a cameo of director Karthick Naren of 16 fame as a psychology student.
Bhimaneni Srinivasa Rao
Acclaimed director Bhimaneni Srinivasa Rao has proved his acting chops in a negative avatar in his latest offering Kousalya Krishnamurthy.
He played the role of a bank manager, who puts Krishna Murthy, a farmer into trouble with his wicked behaviour.
He has proved his credentials as an actor in his debut film and his performance has gone well with the audience and the critics alike.
Bhimaneni has certainly got the confidence to carry the show and make a film successful at the ticket window.