Priyadarshi and Nabha Natesh in director Ashwin Ram’s Telugu film ‘Darling’
On an average, actor Priyadarshi Pulikonda gets two scripts a day. Writers and directors either approach him themselves or his friends refer him to him. “An actor is identified by his choices, and I believe it is possible to make choices that can change the direction of one’s career,” he said when we spoke to him for an interview ahead of the release of his new Telugu film in Hyderabad DearA relationship comedy-drama directed by Ashwin Ram and co-starring Nabha Natesh.
In recent years, Priyadarshi has navigated the uncertainties of Telugu cinema like a chameleon, sometimes as the protagonist in native stories such as Mallesham And BalagamSometimes in comedy, like Jati Ratnalu And Om Bhim Bushand sometimes as a supporting character, a recent example of this is Hello Nana“I look for stories that excite me and motivate me to start working on my character,” he says.
While many actors in the industry prefer to listen to the director’s story, Priyadarshi trusts the written word more. “A script helps me understand the writer-director’s intention better, and a well-written script has a better chance of translating into a good film on screen.”
Multiple moods
Ashwin Ram contacted Priyadarshi Dear in 2019. “The script answered my questions and concerns. I was worried if the story of a newly married woman with a split personality would present a stereotypical notion about women and their many mood swings. Ashwin had dealt with the story with sensitivity, and I was sure the film would not be misogynistic or gender discriminatory. I look Dear It is a story of two people who are in love and one of them has a disease.”
Dear It is being promoted as a relationship comedy, and a scene in the trailer also mentions the split personality traits depicted in the film. unrecognizable (Telugu dubbed version of Tamil movie Anniyan), which creates a comical effect. Priyadarshi has described humor as follows Dear It is a dark comedy, in which the suffering of the characters leads to funny moments for the audience.
Priyadarshi in ‘Darling’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Ashwin Ram worked as the creative head for the film starring Sundeep Kishan A1 Express, And Priyadarshi knew that he was good at people management as much as he was at filmmaking. Before the pandemic, he recalls, it was difficult to find a producer who would invest Rs 6-7 crore in the film. Despite this, MalleshamPriyadarshi had not yet established himself as a bankable star.BalagamThings changed. Ashwin, who meanwhile directed a Tamil film AnbarivuContacted some producers. Niranjan Reddy, Producer HanumanHe believed in the story and came forward to produce it. Dear.
Before filming began, Ashwin roped in acting coach Anandsamy to conduct a workshop for the lead actors. While Priyadarshi’s talent for comedy and rapport with co-stars has been proven time and again, for Nabha it was a different space. The workshop was essential to bring two actors of different ideologies on a common platform. “It was good to go back to school with a book and pen,” laughs Priyadarshi. Over the next few days, Anandsamy helped the actors understand the film and look at their characters from a new perspective. “We sometimes fall back on stock expressions, and this was a good exercise to break free from that possibility. Anand believes in MS Dhoni’s approach that when things get tough, it’s best to stick to the basics.”
extra effort
Priyadarshi tries to bring small changes in the story even if the story does not revolve around him. For example, playing the role of the hero’s friend in the film Hello NanaDirector Shoryav reveals that it was Priyadarshi’s idea to name the character Justin in line with the native names of Coonoor and Ooty. The actor had done his research on the indigenous tribes and suggested that his character is more likely to use the word ‘Tamma’ instead of the usual ‘Bro’ or ‘Macha’ to address his friend (the protagonist). “A friend of mine is part of the Keystone Foundation which works closely with the communities of Coonoor and Ooty. With his help, I got to know more about the tribes. Justin is a name inspired by his colleague at the foundation. I wrote my own backstory for both the characters (played by Nani and Priyadarshi) to give an idea of the native story of two Telugu-speaking youths in the Coimbatore-Coonoor belt,”
Priyadarshi explains that some of his choices are driven by his eagerness to find writers and directors who can help him learn something new. For instance, his next film, 35Presented by Rana Daggubati, the film is set around Tirupati and Priyadarshi has taken the help of voice trainer Prashanth to learn the Tirupati-Chittoor dialect.”35It tells a rare, important story of our times, and it can age like fine wine.” He quotes Christopher Nolan when he says that one should be able to revisit a film and see it differently each time. “There is a constant effort to find stories that have the potential to stand the test of time. A few years ago, I was mostly cast as the hero’s best friend. I’m glad I got to do those films. Now I’m glad I can be the hero too.” For every film he accepts, there are several others he turns down to avoid repetition.
Priyadarshi’s line-up also includes a film by director Indraganti Mohanakrishna, with which he is eager to start a new schedule. A few other films are also in the pipeline, and pre-release functions are scheduled to be held in the city. DearActor Nani announced that he will produce a film which will be directed by Priyadarshi and directed by debutant Jagadish.
