'Mahesh Babu was my inspiration'

Krishna Madhav, who has just entered the Telugu film industry, is a relative of superstar Mahesh Babu.

He has an MS from the US, and has done a film course in Chicago.

He worked as an assistant director on two of Mahesh Babu’s films, namely Mahesh Khaleja and Dookudu, to observe the superstar closely at work.

Madhav is now making his debut with Hrudayam Ekkadaunnadi, directed by V I Anand. It releases tomorrow, Saturday, March 15.

In this exclusive conversation, Madhav talks about his entry into films and about his debut film, Hrudayam Ekkadaunnadi

You studied abroad, and learnt the techniques of filmmaking by being an assistant director. What inspired you to become an actor?

The inspiration was there. I grew up in India amidst cricket and movies.

My goal was to play cricket. I wanted to don the Indian cap and play with Sachin Tendulkar.

That wish was unfulfilled. I was hard-working and played for the State in Under14, Under 16 and Under 19. But I think I didn’t have god’s gift to play for the country.

So I went abroad to do MS. I grew up watching Mahesh Babu’s films and he was an inspiration. So movies were the next thing.

Have you trained in acting?

Definitely. I went to the Chicago Film School. I wanted to have the US experience.

It is a completely different experience there. It’s a multi-cultural place where people of different nationalities live.

My horizons were broadened. After I came back, I trained with Kaladhar and then worked as assistant director on Mahesh Khaleja (for the last three months)and Dookudu.

What did you learn from watching Mahesh Babu?

Mahesh is a big superstar. I wanted to see how he handles superstardom.

He is simple and down-to-earth and balanced in life. I wanted to learn how he prepares for a role.

I learnt a lot from him. Most important is his commitment to his work. He is never late on the sets.  He has the same enthusiasm every day like a kid, when he comes on the sets.

Similar was the case with Sachin Tendulkar. You need to have focus, discipline, dedication and simplicity.

A hero makes a lot of difference. People watch the hero. A movie has to do well for so many to thrive and there are more movies leading to more opportunities.

There is pressure on the hero and it depends on how he takes that pressure and responsibility of stardom. Mahesh handles his stardom well.

How did Hrudayam Ekkadaunnadi happen?

When I was working as assistant director, I knew other assistant directors working with directors like Gautham Menon, Rajamouli, Srinu Vytla and so on.

One day I met V I Anand, an associate of director A R Murugadoss, who narrated a story to me as he knew I wanted to act. I thought people would relate to this and would be entertained too.

How different is this love story from the many others?

There are millions and zillions of love stories. The basic concept is, the human mind wants more in life. For example, if a man drives a cycle, he wants a scooter, one driving a scooter wants a car and one driving a car wants a Mercedes!

The same is the case with money. People want more and more. Where is the end to this? There is no satisfaction.

This is explained with reference to my character who loves one girl and finds another girl who is better than her!

What does he do? Youngsters, these days, are confused. When they see this film they will have clarity.

Is there a message in the film?

Youth don’t take messages. The film is meaningful and has in-depth emotion. The best part of the film is the climax.

Did you have to prepare for the role?

Yes, I had to prepare a little bit. I play an architect and since the director is an architect, I got some inputs from him.

I could relate to the character of a confused guy. We all go through confusions in life. Which one is better is always weighing on our minds.

How do you feel about your debut film?

I feel I have done a decent job as an actor.

In terms of my potential, I am close to only 10 per cent of what I am capable of.

One can expect better performances from me ahead.

You have two heroines in the film. How were they as co-stars?

Yes, there are two heroines. One is Anusha who is a singer and the other is Samskruthi who is a Mohiniattam dancer.

Being in the fine arts helps, as expressions come naturally. It was easy and fantastic working with both of them..

Are you nervous or excited about the date of release?

I am not nervous. I did what I have to do. I have made an honest and sincere effort.

I would say I have put in 200 per cent effort. I am sure the movie will do well.

How do you see yourself in an industry where there are many heroes?

I feel I am running my own race. I don’t think of others.

I am like a horse with blinkers on, focused on myself. I will improve. I am ambitious too.

Since you are trained in acting and directing, would you want to direct too?

No, I am not good at directing. I do not have the mindset to direct.

My focus always was on acting.

When we see films each one looks at different points like cinematography, shots, etc but I see only the actor’s performance. 

Any actor who can emote well in a tight close-up is the best shot for me.

I am interested in movies but I watch few films. I like to watch the films of Mahesh Babu, Shah Rukh Khan and Suriya.

I am also interested in sports. I play cricket, football, volleyball and basketball.