'OKe Oka Jeevitham' has been a box office hit. In this interview, actor Sharwanand talks about the film, saying that it has left him in a contented space. He also throws light on his upcoming political drama.
I am happy and relieved of the pressure after the success of 'OOJ'. This time, I knew pretty well that we had made a sensible movie. Right on the first day of the shoot, we shot 200 shots. I was not sure what was happening. Slowly, I gained confidence that the director was on the right track. New directors are usually very true to themselves and honest. They are not bogged down by pressures and don't end up making undiluted content. For example, it was Sujeeth (then a debutant) who proved that I can do comedies (with 'Run Raja Run').
Film critics are harsh on logical flaws in sci-fi films. So, I was a bit wary of them more than the audience before the film's release. Content-wise, I knew that OOJ's emotions are going to strike the right chord with the audience.
Many have felt that 'OOJ' is a must-watch for children. It's because the film tells children not to take their mother's love for granted. Children are enjoying their lives. They don't want to escape into the past or future even if they had a time machine with them. If given a chance, I would go back to my college days, when I used to bunk classes and enjoy myself! I have no heartbreaks or things like that in the past (laughs).
This project was okayed four years ago. It should have come out before 2-3 previous films of mine.
Shedding oodles of weight in recent months has been my personal decision. It is not for a role in any of my movies. Since last year, I have shed 14 kgs. I don't consume more than 100 gms of rice per day.
Shree Karthick is a beautiful filmmaker who we should watch out for. I was never apprehensive after listening to his detailed narration. My doubts melted away because of how detailed the narration was. As for teaming up with him again, we have no plans as of now. Better he does movies with others before we can reunite.
I didn't have any precise commercial expectations from 'OOJ'. I have never had such expectations in mind in my career. Every genre has its deserving commercial potential. It's a good sign that 'OOJ' is still running in theatres. Its run is going to last for another two weeks.
I have no comfort genre as such. I enjoy doing comedies more. Intense roles build up pressure on the subconscious role. I might not do another 'Run Raja Ran' or 'Express Raja' but I have got some entertainers in the pipeline.
Akhil Akkineni has been a good friend of mine. Working with Amala garu on 'OOJ' gave me an opportunity to build a rapport with her. As for Vennela Kishore, I have known him closely since 'Vennela'. Back then, I and Kishore had questions about our future in films. After all these years, those days are a sweet memory!
Every film is a tough decision. I have no guiding force. I have to decide everything by myself by weighing the pros and cons. I have realized that honesty pays off eventually. Before the release of 'OOJ', I openly sought the media's support. There is nothing wrong with asking when you are honest about your content.
Many of my film industry colleagues have called me and appreciated 'OOJ'. They told me 'OOJ' and my performance will be a key highlight of my filmography.
My next film is going to be directed by Krishna Chaitanya. It's a political drama. It's not a satire. It's about a selfish youngster, a kind of role I have never played in the past. There are three other projects in the pipeline; they are in the advanced stages of being finalized.
