Mayur Patel: Cinema didn’t love me as much as I loved it

Mayur Patel, a known name in Kannada cinema, was recognised for his role in Mani and has appeared in over a dozen films. Despite his deep love for cinema, Mayur felt that the feeling was not mutual, which led to a period away from the silver screen. “Cinema didn’t love me as much as I loved it, and that hurt,” admits Mayur. Now, he is making a comeback with the upcoming film Pepe, starring Vinay Rajkumar and directed by debutant Shreelesh Nair.

Ahead of the film’s release, Mayur reflects on his previous film, Rajeeva, released in 2020, which was negatively impacted by the pandemic. “Rajeeva didn’t perform as well as anticipated due to the pandemic. At that time, I realised the need for a more compelling subject,” he shares. Mayur met Shreelesh, a local resident, over coffee to discuss the film. “When Shreelesh described the subject, Pepe, and my role, I was captivated by his vision for the story,” Mayur adds.

In Pepe, Mayur portrays the character of Gunna. He commends Shreelesh’s directorial approach, stating, “Despite being a debutant, Shreelesh is passionate about learning and meticulous about his shots. I have an intense and challenging opening fight scene that lasts two and a half minutes. While the film’s plot details remain confidential, it depicts the journey of a local boy facing adversity. My character, Gunna, embodies the transformation of someone who overcomes challenges to become resilient.” Furthermore, Mayur is also involved in directing. “I have directed a project titled Tamte, featuring my father (Madan Patel). I also have Light Man, which is more of a ‘bridge film’. I am eagerly awaiting announcements about another project and will be sharing more details in the near future,” he concludes.