SIMPLE SOUTH SWAG

Simple Star's Passionate Love Story with Cinema

- RAJESHWARI KALYANAM

One National Award, two Filmfare awards, two Karnataka State awards, and more in his kitty diverse roles, each different from the others, and stories that seem to be written just to fulfill the urge in the actor to do something different each time this is Rakshit Shetty's journey so far in the film industry in which he is considered a flag bearer of new age Kannada cinema. He says that when someone is not writing stories for him. The writer Rakshit takes charge. That is how he has written the iconic character Richie - Richard Anthony of the critically acclaimed award-winning film Ulidavaru Kandanthe - who continues to be so popular that he is going to be back in what could be a prequel or even a sequel 'Richard Anthony - Lord of Seas' produced by Hombale Films later this year. "When I was doing short films at the beginning of my career, I started writing as I wanted to do different characters. Even now whenever I feel I am not getting good scripts, I start to think what kind of character I would like to act, and I go about creating the character," says Rakshit Shetty during an exclusive interview ahead of the release of Telugu version of his latest hit 'Sapta Sagaradaache Ello Side A. The film has had a great run in Kannada and has had limited theatre release in Telugu. Rakshit who is also the producer of the film explains.

"We have intentionally kept the promotions low-key even in Kannada. This film has had to move with the help of word of mouth and positive publicity from the viewers. And, we were prepared to wait for it to pick up. Rightfully so, the film started to do better with each week. Post the Kannada success we released in Telugu followed by Malayalam says this lead actor, who released this slow romantic film that in his own words is like visual poetry that needs to be savoured - after the extremely successful film 777 Charlie.