Teaching English in school to unleashing terror on the small screen with his villainy, G.S. Hari has indeed travelled a long way. In a career that spanned nearly 15 years, he assumed such varying shades of villainy that the teacher-turned-actor is the first choice for a negative characterisation in any Telugu television serial.
Known for his forceful performances, Hari’s tryst with serials started when he landed an offer to portray an advocate’s role in popular novelist Yandamuri Veerendranath’s Tulasi Dalam . He grabbed the opportunity, presented his best talent and then, as is said, did not have to look back.
Incidentally, it was also the time when the small screen did not have much talent keen to cast themselves as villains and the teacher from Nellore comfortably occupied the space.
With every portrayal, Hari kept growing in strength and one of the most enduring performances in the initial days turned out to be that of Gowrinath in the popular serial Kasturi . Then followed serials such as Lakshyam on ETV, Laya on Maa TV and Bommarillu on Gemini TV and the run continued.
“Lot of appreciation also came for my role as a politician and minister in Chakravakam , the serial which was hugely successful,” he recalls.
Along the way came opportunities on the big screen and Hari acted in several films such as Gamyam and Magadheerudu . “In fact, Chiranjeevi supported and encouraged me a lot in the initial days and that really acted as a morale booster for me. “Recently, I did a role in the movie Power and again it was the role of a bad politician,” he laughs aloud.
Hari also likes the character of Sundaram Pillai that he is portraying in Nagababu’s ongoing serial Seetamalakshmi on Maa TV. “I am a don from Tamil Nadu in the serial and viewers have simply taken a liking for my performance,” he says. Another prominent serial on air now is Koncham Ishtam, Koncham Kashtam on Zee Telugu. “Can you guess my role in this serial?” asks Hari, mischievously.
