Raghavendra Rao is no stranger to introducing actors through his films. Many an actor, be it Mahesh Babu, Allu Arjun, Sridevi, Taapsee and more recently, Roshan Meka, were launched by the veteran filmmaker. Joining this list is Akash Goparaju, the son of singer and voice artist Sunitha, who is making his debut in Sarkaru Noukari.
The film had its teaser unveiled recently. While Akash admits that he had harboured acting aspirations from a very early age, having watched the industry in close proximity through his mother’s career, he admits he did not intend to enter the industry at this point in his life. “Everything happened without me planning or strategising as such. I finished my undergraduate studies recently. My plans to do my master's abroad were put on hold due to the pandemic, with the borders closing for two years. And in that stage of my life, around 2021, I got acting offers. People discovered me on social media and reached out. I got very lucky that way. So even if this was not how I anticipated my career would take off, I decided to enter the industry after the offers came around.”
Akash reveals that dance is the foundation of his acting dreams. “I loved dancing and playing the guitar. Performing in public helped me get rid of my awkwardness and inhibitions and really helped me put myself out there, with confidence.”
Sarkaru Noukari, written and directed by Ganganamouni Shekar, is based on a set of true incidents that have taken place in Kolhapur in the 1990s. Akash plays the titular government employee, a doctor to be more precise. Posted in a rural area, his presence causes a scandal when the villagers discover condoms in his bag.
The rest of the film deals with the sensitive topic of contraceptive awareness and fighting other related taboos. But any viewer of Telugu cinema can tell you that a film like Sarkaru Noukari is not only a novel enterprise in itself, but is also a rather unusual choice for Raghavendra Rao.
The man, known for his masala entertainers laden with double entendres, especially in his films’ music videos, is now backing a small-scale film on a social issue. Chiming in on the amusing context behind Raghavendra Rao’s inclusion in the project, “I think it is his greatest quality, he is always embracing new ideas and reinventing with the times. I am very excited that this is a different kind of film. I am excited that this is how I am beginning my career.”
When enquired about his first reaction when he heard the story of Sarkaru Noukari, Akash says, “As a movie lover, I love anything done differently. We all love commercial cinema but I respect filmmakers who think out-of-the-box. For example, when I saw 1: Nenokkadine, there are some commercial elements, but Sukumar also put a fresh, interesting spin on the film. I am drawn to these films and find myself excited when I see filmmakers take such risks. Sarkaru Noukari excited me for this precise set of reasons. It is not a sure shot commercial film, but that is what makes everything very exciting.”
After telling that Sarkaru Noukari is wrapping up post-production and that the makers will be announcing its release date soon, Akash closes the interaction by saying that he is not reading too many scripts at the moment. “I have been talking to a lot of people, I am being noticed, but people will only get some clarity about my calibre about my film is out. As of now, I am just waiting for Sarkaru Noukari to release.”