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Locks of hair falling on his forehead and a beard that added to his roguish look,Rana Daggubati marked his acting debut in Bollywood with Dum Maaro Dum as Joki,an amateur musician who sang in Goan restaurants. The actors biggest worry while shooting for his second Hindi film,Department,where he wears a handlebar moustache,therefore,was if people would remember him from his previous role. I did not want people to think I am yet another South Indian actor making a debut in Bollywood, says he. But the response to the promos put Daggubatis doubts to rest. I was told I look good in the khakee uniform. Others said they were glad to see me do another Hindi film, he smiles,visibly happy.
Daggubati can be viewed differently from all other actors in the South who have attempted to carve a niche in Bollywood before. While the others crossed over after establishing themselves as superstars in their respective industries,Daggubati was one-film-old his debut was Telugu film Leader when he did Dum Maaro Dum in 2011. In fact,I had no plans to become an actor. I only knew I wanted to do something related to films, he recounts. He started off with a visual effects studio,but when he shut it down in 2008,he did not know what to do next until he considered the acting offers that came to him. It wasnt really a planned move,but then I was lucky enough to be offered genre-heavy films,which other actors werent willing to do, he says.
Other actors loss was Daggubatis gain. Leader,where he portrayed the character of a young politician,was a blockbuster. Rohan Sippy offered him Dum Maaro Dum soon after. My main aim as an actor is to do versatile roles. It is nice to learn and unlearn. Further ahead in the career,an actor will be typecast in certain roles. But early on is the time to experiment, says the 27-year-old.
This is also why Daggubati signed up to do Department as his second Hindi film. It is a larger film and a bigger role, he points out. Having grown up on cop dramas,playing a man in uniform was also a dream the film fulfills. The opportunity of working with industry veterans,Ram Gopal Verma,Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjay Dutt,further added to his experience. No matter what the final result of the film is,I knew I would learn a lot from all these stalwarts, he confesses.
Also gifted with some mean moves on the dance floor,he will be showing off some of his talent in the Telugu romcom Naa Ishtam. Over time,the actor has also polished his Hindi and rid himself of the Hyderabadi accent. Are the efforts an indication of plans to shift base to Mumbai? Daggubati strongly denies it: I am here to do the kind of films I wouldnt get to in Telugu or Tamil. I want to explore cinema in all languages I possibly can, he says.
To pursue this aim,Daggubati has already bagged an English film,directed by Aditya Bhattacharya. We will be revisiting Aamir Khans iconic Raakh and adapt it to modern times, he confirms. Besides,he is also working on a Tamil and a Telugu film. Work on a trilingual movie with South director Selvaraghavan will then begin. As long as I have the energy to travel and not stay in one place,I will continue to do films in all the languages I know, he says.
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