Sharwanand gets candid about love, life and cinema

YOU CAN'T ASK FOR STARDOM

Sharwanand gets candid about love, life and cinema in a free wheeling chat with Hyderabad Times

Karthik Pasupulate

His love story ended in heartbreak a long time ago. And for a while, it looked like his love affair with the silver screen was also headed for a similar ending. "There were times when I seriously contemplated quitting movies. I was working my a*s off, but success always seemed unreachable. Then "Gamyam" happened", recalls Sharwanand.
"Gamyam" won him critical acclaim as well as reasonable BO success in both Telugu and Tamil, but what changed the actor's filmi fortunes is his latest blockbuster, "Journey" ("Engeyum Eppodhum" in Tamil). It's been four weeks since the Telugu version, "Journey", hit the screens and it is still doing roaring business; a remarkable feat for a dubbed film that doesn't boast of an A-List star cast.
The 27-year-old is naturally thrilled. "It was one of the biggest hits of 2011 in Tamil and has been declared a hit in Telugu as well, so I am super excited to finally have a blockbuster to my name," he says, flashing a content smile. Well, this success sure took its time, considering it's been nine years since Sharwanand's first release, a little known film, "5va Tareeku". He was 19 years old then, which was two years after he decided acting was what he wanted to do. It's been quite a long journey since then, but stardom always seemed elusive for the actor . "Stardom is something that is bestowed upon you by the people through the films you do. You cannot ask for it. I am happy being whatever I am," says
Sharwanand.
Sharwanand feels he has enough reasons to be happy. "I went from playing inconsequential friend roles, brother figures, negative characters and the second lead before becoming a lead actor. It has been a gradual progression. Not many big stars have done the kind of films I did. I am not unduly worried about stardom," he adds.
Ask the actor if it bothers him that even a Nandi Award doesn't guarantee success in this industry filled with 'star kids', and he says, "No matter who you are born to, you need to have talent. If you have the confidence, no force can stop you from becoming what you want to be. I think that I am in the process of becoming what I want to be. This is just the beginning." he reckons, sticking to his guns.
Is this a reason he hasn't done a Telugu film since his Nandi Award-winning performance in the critically-acclaimed "Prasthanam"? "I've always done what I wanted to do. I live my life for myself and I believe that I cannot do anything just for the heck of it or to please somebody else," he says.
Perhaps this attitude has something to do with the fact that being the youngest kid in the family, he has always had his way. "Well, I have been the most pampered and spoilt brat of the family. I was never good at studies and I almost had a phobia of books!" he quips.
The actor is currently shooting for his next venture, starring Allari Naresh and Shriya Saran. This will be the first time since "Gamyam" that he will be teaming up with Naresh. "We listened to about 14-15 scripts before signing this one. It's going to be a comic caper, a genre that I haven't done before. I am very excited to be working with Naresh again," he says.
But successful combinations doesn't seem to have always worked out for Sharwanand. Most directors that he has worked with, be it Krish ("Gamyam") or Devakatta ("Prasthanam"), have moved on to working with big stars in their next films. Apparently the actor really wanted to be a part of "Autonagar Surya", but as it turned out, Naga Chaitanya is playing the lead in the film. "Perhaps bigger stars give them bigger budgets and markets. I have nothing against them and continue being great friends with them. I can always ask them to cast me in their film," he says.
Meanwhile, the actor is busy fulfilling his non-filmi dreams and has just ventured into a new business. "I am getting older and need to think about making money. I've never done films to earn money. In any case, doing one film a year, doesn't leave you with much," he says. karthik.pasupulate@gmail.com

Sharwanand