Change and revivalFor Venkatesh, who has created a niche for himself with his comic chops and family-friendly cinema, the actor has slowly but steadily been tasting waters in the field of high octane action. The actor notes that things have moved the other way round for him, career wise. Venkatesh says, “I did a fair amount of action back in the day, when I was starting out. After shooting for Bobbili Raja (1990), I had sustained some injuries, following which I ventured into family cinema. Then, I came back to action. That said, I don’t believe we are in control of the trajectory our career takes. No one is in control of their career.We are in control of the work we do on a day-to-day basis. And that must be continuously sustained by one’s faith.” Saindhav, written and directed by Dr Sailesh Kolanu, revolves around the father of a young girl, who returns to a life of crime he has long abandoned to protect his child from a deadly ailment. Speaking about working in Saindhav, Venkatesh says, “Maybe it was time to accept change gracefully and do something different. First, I did Rana, now I am doing Saindhav.Not that I was fully certain that this would work or not work, I was glad nevertheless, to take a step in a direction less explored. One should not colour their judgements with the weight of their judgements so much. Sometimes the decisions you make might be right, sometimes they might be wrong. Either way, things will be alright. One should not think too much.”Of Saindhav and BeyondVenkatesh slowly delves into what appealed to him about Saindhav. The actor answers, “The story is so perfectly driven, it drives you to progressively emotional highs and high-adrenaline action sequences, capped off with an extraordinary climax. The action is designed so well, nothing is out of place, nor is it the kind of exaggerated action where you see 30-40 cars flying in the air.The world of the film, and my look is very different, which compelled me to give it a shot. The film is breezy and fast paced, with no lag or deviations.” Emphasising the novelty factor, the actor continues, “Everything is very new for me. It is a new space. By god’s grace, everything came out well. This is the beginning of sorts for me, I am testing waters. Depending on the success, I will decide which direction to take next. The film has got all the necessary, fundamental elements that make a reasonably good film.”Rana Naidu, script selection and fansThe sexagenarian superstar made his OTT debut in 2023 with the Netflix Original Rana Naidu, alongside his actor nephew Rana Daggubati. The series, an official Indian adaptation of the American show Ray Donovan, has ranked as one of the most watched series in the Indian demographic last year. The series has also been renewed for another season. At the same time, Rana Naidu garnered massive flak for its depiction of graphic violence, profanity and sexually explicit content.How did Venkatesh process the divisive reception he received for the show? “The audience expressed their displeasure, as they had the right to, and we totally understand where they are coming from. In retrospect, it would have been better had those shock-value scenes been presented in the middle of the series, after the audience has comfortably settled in, instead of bombarding them with the more uncomfortable scenes right from the start. Those portions were way out there, and the effect was jarring. This is the feedback the Netflix team will be incorporating as well, as they create the next season.”As a follow-up question, when enquired about what compelled the actor to take up something so different from what he has done all these years, he replies, “This is not unprecedented. I have done out-of-the-box films like Pavitra Bandham (1996) and Pelli Chesukundham (1997), which shocked people back then. I was also advised by people to not do remakes like Chanti (1992). But I always believe that if you are very sincere about what you do, and you put in your best, then atleast 50% of the film will fall in place. Over the years, I have figured out how to play the game, through trial, error and careful study.” The actor credits his fans for their patience with his script choices. “My fans closely saw the way I functioned and accepted me for who I am. They were patient when I used to not go to record-collection functions. They were understanding of the fact that I gave my producers and team reins over, as I did not wish to control my image at the cost of the film.”
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