I fall in love with Sudeep every time I see him

A buoyant storyline that blends action-packed drama and youthful romance, the upcoming Kannada film Akira promises to be an entertainer with a twist. With hero Anish Tejeshwar dancing like a dream and his lead heroines Krishi Thapanda and Aditi Rao exhibiting interesting onscreen chemistry (even a catfight!), the film is expected to be well-received by all. Just back from a whirlwind promotional trip across Karnataka, the crew ' including producer Chethan Kumar ' made a quick halt at the Bangalore Times office to talk about the film and share their experiences.Excerpts:
So, how did Akira happen to you?
Krishi Thapanda (KT): By fluke, actually. I started my career with a Tamil movie and then had signed an offbeat Kannada film when Anish approached me for a role in Akira. Initially, when Naveen (the director) saw my pictures, he was not very keen on me, but later, when we met and spoke, he was convinced and we signed the agreement within an hour.
The trailer of the film shows different emotions of the heroines with the hero. Tell us about it...
KT: Between Anish and me, it is more about friendship and my role is more of the commanding and talkative one. But when it comes to Aditi's character, Anish is always after her, doing funny things to impress her. Her role is that of a mature and homely girl.
Aditi Rao (AR): I think that's the usual two kinds of girls that every guy comes across in his life ' one is a little chirpy and the other quiet. This is the best combination one can come up with.

In your previous film Dove too, you shared screen with another lead actress. How comfortable are you doing such roles?
AR: That's the reason I was a little doubtful about accepting the role in Akira and turned down the offer the first time. But later, when I was explained my part in the film, I realized that it was way different from the girl-next-door character I played in my previous films. It's a more silent and mature character. In fact, I was very impressed by my introduction scene in Akira. It's interesting.
So, which one of you gets Anish in the end?
KT: It's not a typical triangle love story. There are two different tracks. All we can say now is that somebody will definitely get him in the end, for sure.

How close are you to your character in real life?
Anish Tejeshwar (AT): It's completely different, actually. I have worked on such a role in a commercial project for the first time. Right from a rigorous workout, building six-pack abs and grooming to filming a scene shirtless in sub-zero temperatures, it's been an absolutely different approach and experience. When we were starting off, Naveen told me that he wants to see me in a new avatar, and here it is.
With the industry now seeing a record number of newbies stepping in, how difficult or easy is it for young actors like you to stand out and maintain your X-Factor?
AT: Newcomers will keep coming, but the learning process should never stop. One cannot become choosy about roles after doing one film or two. To sustain and excel, the learning process should always continue. For instance, with Akira, people are already setting high expectations with my dancing skills. So for my next, I have to work harder and give something more to the audience.
KT: One shouldn't take their work for granted. After a couple of hits, actors tend to become complacent. That shouldn't happen. Every project is special, and the actor must be able to give something unique each time. Nowadays, everyone who enters the film industry come with a special quality. They are either a pro in dance, music or acting. Thus, thinking out of the box becomes relevant to keep going. People shouldn't get bored looking at me on screen, I have to give a different makeover each time.
AR: For me, it's been a roller-coaster ride. Right before Akira, I was just sitting at home because nothing interesting was coming my way. I didn't want to appear in just a song-and-dance sequence with an actor. I want people to remember me as someone who does good characters. That's also the reason I am choosy when selecting my roles.
Who do you see as a competition in the industry right now?
Anish: There's no competition as such. Every actor needs to create his own set of audience. We should rather compete with other language films, and try our best to reach out to as many audiences as possible. That way there will be an overall growth in Sandalwood
Chethan Kumar (CK): The point is, if we are to retain our money in our state, we have to produce more big films that comprise quality storylines and acting. It should be an out-and-out entertainer, and with Akira that is what we have tried to do. During our promotional tour around the state in which we covered some 10,000 km on road within months, we have tried to touch base with people who have virtually no access to online media by showing them the trailer of our film on projectors. Reaching out to people in remote pockets can be a tough job.

So, how much grooming happened before you hit the big screen?
KT: Frankly speaking, I never thought I would reach this position. I never had a set goal in life. Before entering films, I never even used to apply basic gloss or kohl. To me, all of this happened by chance. One year ago, I was working at an MNC, then I won a beauty pageant and today I am here. In my first movie, I played a slum character, so there was no requirement for makeup at all. With Akira, I got into a proper styling regimen, looked up online for beauty tips and even went for quick grooming sessions.
AR: In my case, I always wanted to become a celebrity. Back in the day, I would stare at Sachin Tendulkar's picture in a magazine cover and dream of myself in it. I was, however, quick to realize that cricket can-not be my forte, and instead started taking interest in acting. Like a wannabe starlet, I would stand in front of the mirror and pose. In college, somebody approached me with a part in a TV serial, following which I landed two back-to-back roles. After a bit of struggle in the industry and year of doing a job at a luxury hotel in the city, I finally landed a role in Dove. There's no turning back after that.
CK: Both the lead heroines have contrast personalities in the film ' while Aditi was dressed mostly in Indian attire, Krishi's clothes were contemporary.
Who are your role models in the industry?
Anish: I am in the film industry because of Chiranjeevi. He has been my biggest inspiration. If not, I would have either been helping my father in his business or taken up the job of a lorry/auto rickshaw driver or even a bus conductor.
KT: The characters and subject of a film always used to inspire me more than the stars in it, but of late I am going a little crazy about Dulquer Salmaan. I think he is just awesome onscreen. As an actor, I am also a fan of Prakash Rai.
AR: I am crazy about Sudeep. I go meet him every year on his birthday. Every movie of him I watch, I fall in love with him all over again.
Any fun incidents on the sets?
AR: We had a lot of fun during the shoots, with bouts of laughter and even catfights. It used to be like if Krishi starts laughing, she wouldn't stop and if I start crying, I wouldn't stop.