Achance meeting with director Yogaraj Bhat turned out to be an inspiration for youngster and one-film-old actor, Vihan. To him, his upcoming film Panchatantra is “larger than life”. “I started with Kaal Kg Preethi, and this is my second film in which I will associate with bigwigs like Yogaraj sir, music director V Harikrishna and singer Vijaya Prakash. For the film, I’ve had to explore elements of romance, fights, dance, and stunts. Which is why I consider Panchantantra as a ‘big picture’,” he tells CE in a candid moment. Ahead of the film’s release later this week, here are some tidbits from his experience on the film’s sets.
Car racing
I did a bit of car racing during college. So, when I had to do it for the film, it just required improvisation. I had to work on making it appealing for the screen. For this, racers
Monish and Chandan helped
with tips.”
Contemporary dance moves
“Even though I had learnt dancing from Shaimak Davar, the contemporary style was new to me. For the film, I had to pick up new skills, which choreographer Imran Sardhariya helped me with.”
From introvert to extrovert
“Associating with Yogaraj sir was the best thing that happened to me. He’s a director who allows actors to explore themselves completely. Usually, I tend to be an extrovert, but through the film, I saw another side to myself.”
Annoying elders on-
screen was little hard
“The film brings out issues between millennials and elders because of the generation gap. There were scenes that required me to fight with senior actors, including Rangayana Raghu. Even though I knew it was just for the screen, I found it hard to execute.But Rangayana sir, made me comfortable. He said that if a scene required me to hold his neck or pull his collar, it was okay. His talk gave me confidence while performing.”
New role
“Apart from acting, Panchantantra allowed me to experiment as an assistant director. When I wasn’t required to face the camera, Yogaraj sir would encourage me to try my hand at different aspects of filmmaking. That’s when I realised that assistant directors have a tough job. I used to get tired within a couple of hours.
I also got to handle cameras, which I have been fascinated with since my childhood. During the shoot, cinematographer Sugnaan Murthy allowed me to operate the cameras.”
Drove autos,
Mustang and buses
“The romantic drama, which is set against a racing backdrop, required me to drive a Ford Mustang. I had always dreamt of driving autos and caravan buses, which was also fullfilled in this film.”