For Vinod Prabhakar, Balaramana Dinagalu was a long-held wish finally finding its moment. "I've always wanted to work with Chaitanya. For this film, I told myself it wasn't just going to be sweat, but I would be ready to shed blood too. Working with Chaitanya was a dream come true, and I wanted this film to work," says Vinod Prabhakar, ahead of the film's release on June 26.

His admiration for the director runs deeper than cinema. Vinod believes Chaitanya is an intellectual director, and almost like an encyclopedia. "You can ask him about politics, history, people, anything. He knows it all. When I got to know him, he would talk about craft, and when he narrated where he started and where he is today, you understand his calibre. Before firing questions at a director about the subject, you need to know the person you're working with."

While Chaitanya describes Vinod as a versatile actor capable of turning any film into a mass entertainer, the actor chose to surrender to the filmmaker instead of flexing stardom. "I'm a director's actor. I understood what Chaitanya wanted from me. We discussed every important point and stayed committed to it. I rarely went to the monitor. I'd ask if the shot was okay and move on. I never wanted to disturb his vision. He's already seen the film in his head. We're only helping him bring it alive."

While Chaitanya's films are rooted in authenticity, Vinod did his own homework for Balarama. "I watched interviews and reference material Chaitanya sent me. Growing up in Frazer Town, I had heard stories about underworld dons like Jayaraj, Kothwal, Balarama and Koli Faiyaz. Those stories fascinated us as kids. I already knew a bit about that world."

However, nothing about Balarama shocked him, but he was thoroughly impressed with Chaitanya's writing. "I knew many of those stories from different angles. What fascinated me was how Chaitanya shaped Balarama's journey on paper."

Every film, Vinod says, is a fresh beginning. "I don't think I unlearned anything. But I learned a lot from Chaitanya. After Maadeva, this film gave me new perspectives. I like to erase my previous films and start from scratch every time," says Vinod, adding that leaving Balarama behind wasn't easy. "Even after the shoot, I was living as Balarama for a long time. To play him, I had to travel back to the 1980s and see the world through his eyes."

He also credits producer Shreyas Jayaram, who was determined to mount the film on a larger scale despite Vinod's initial reservations. "As an actor, I'm secure enough to know my strengths and weaknesses. Cinema is all about teamwork. I like exchanging ideas because we're all chasing the same thing: the perfect frame. As an actor, I'm always curious about how others see my character and what the audience expects from the film. That's how you grow," he signs off.