Double roles :TOI

SEEING DOUBLE AGAIN!

The once popular trend of "double roles" is making a comeback of sorts with the young crop of heroes all set to share screen space with themselves in upcoming films

AS Sashidhar

Besides all the melodrama, powerpacked action scenes, punch dialogues and extravagant song sequences, one of the most defining trademarks of Indian cinema, Tollywood in particular, back in the day, was the trend of having the hero play a 'double role'. And looks like Tollywood is ready to bring back twice the drama to the audiences. While there is much speculation about Ram Charan's new masala entertainer, which apparently has the actor essaying a dual role, the latest buzz is that Nani will be playing two characters in his forthcoming entertainer, Jenda Pai Kapiraju directed by Samudrakhani. Sources say Nani will play two contrasting characters in the film, whilst romancing Amala Paul. Hyderabad Times traces the double role phenomenon in T-town across the years

A HIT FORMULA

Superstar Krisha holds the record of playing double and even triple roles in more than 30 films! Out of them, films like Agni Parvatham, Dongalu Baboi Dongalu, Kumar Raja and Pagabattina Simham, ended up becoming hugely successful. Shoban Babu also essayed dual roles in numerous films, creating a record of sorts. His first dual role was in Potti Pleader and he went on to give us hits like
Kodallu Vasthunnar Jagratta and Gunavanthudu, among others.
Legendary actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao too was seen in many dual roles in films like Sri Rama Raksha, Ramudu Kadu Krishnudu, Buddhimanthudu. In fact, he had the distinction of playing as many as nine roles in Navarathri. Nandamuri Taraka Ramarao too made this trend hugely popular with films like Ramudu Bheemudu, Bhale Tammudu and Circus Ramudu, pioneering this hit formula.

DOUBLE DHAMAKA

Megastar Chiranjeevi essayed a double role for the first time in Nakili Mani shi directed by SD Lall, followed by Donga Mogudu, directed by A Kodandarami Reddy. He went on to play dual roles in Rowdy Alludu, Mugguru Monagallu, Sneham Kosam and Andarivaadu. Meanwhile, his contemporary Nagarajuna appeared in dual roles in films like Hello Brother and Yeduruleni Manishi. Venkatesh too essayed dual roles in films like Suryavamsham and Nagavalli. So, what makes this trend click? Be it the comic confusion created due to scenes showing mistaken identity, or the dramatic situations that arises from instance of lost and found brothers, the clone effect works with the audience.
Bhimaneni Srinivas Rao, who made Suryavamsham, has another take too. "The idea of having the same artiste in two different characters gives ample scope for the actor to perform. In my film, Venkatesh played both father and son. I roped him for both roles so that he'll have scope to perform and showcase all the variations required to play contrasting characters and that's exactly what Venky did."
Nandamuri Balakrishna too was not to be left far behind when it came with dabbling with this trend. He was seen in a dual role in the film Apurva Sahodarudu, directed by K Raghavendra Rao and then much later, in Allari Pidugu. Singeetham Srinivas Rao, who directed Balakrishna in the film, Aditya 369, which had the actor playing two different characters, says, "In Aditya 369, Balayya played two different characters — one of a lover boy and the other as the king, Sri Krishna Devaraya. We had to mask the camera lens and then shoot the film. It was time consuming and tedious, since we needed to wait for the same artiste to don the grease paint for the other role. But modern technology has made things much easier."

MORE HERO, MORE MOOLAH

There's no denying that the Tollywood audiences who worship their heroes, can never get enough of them. And a double role is definitely double the fun. "When a star actor is playing a dual role, naturally, there is much more curiosity amongst the exhibitors, distributors and fans. And filmmakers want to cash in on this mania," adds Bhimaneni Srinivas Rao.
Noted producer MS Raju, couldn't agree more. "I witnessed this rise in interest and impact when I produced Police Lock Up with Vijay Shanti in a dual role. The film went on to generate huge revenues. The distributors were able to rake in the moolah as people were curious to see the actress sharing screen space with herself."
sashidhar.adivi@timesgroup.com

NTR Jr in a dual role in Adhurs

Krishna in a still from Agniparvatham in which he played a double role

Late Sobhanbabu

L Vijayalakshmi and the late NTR