Shrestha can be one of the best examples of dreams and aspirations taking flight. A confident and determined actor, Shrestha tries to break the mould of the conventional cinema hero, with every role. Despite his atypical journey, Shrestha, who pursued his dream of becoming an actor, believes that in the art of storytelling, it’s the character that defines the hero and not the other way around.
“If people look closely at the character, they’ll find the hero within,” says Shrestha. Following his character roles in Suri’s Kaddipudi and Vijay Kumar’s Salaga, among other films, he is now all set to test the waters as a lead in Abhi’s Somu Sound Engineer, slated to release this week.
The film, produced by Christopher Kini, also stars Nivishka Patil, Chandana Gowda, and Girish Jatti in principal roles. Somu Sound Engineer, backed by a strong technical team, has Maasthi penning the dialogues, Deepu S Kumar handling the editing, and Charan Raj composing the music.
Shrestha’s backstory is fascinating - a ninth-standard dropout with a background in agriculture. He admits that he had two passions -- cricket and movies. “A shepherd in my native reminded me of an episode of Shivarajkumar’s Jogi, that inspired me to leave my village and come to the city. At the age of 17, I made a move to the city, fueled solely by the determination to become an actor,” he says
With no sort of connections in the city, Shrestha admits to taking on various odd jobs. From serving tea to working as an office boy at the editor’s office, he was gradually immersing himself into the world of cinema, for three years. “My first breakthrough came because of dialogue writer Maasthi, through whom I got to debut with a minor role in Kaddipudi and got subsequent opportunities, including a memorable stint in Salaga,” he says.
Shrestha cherishes every hardship as part of his journey that led him toward playing the lead on the silver screen. “I believe that every passionate actor has a place in cinema. It equally depends on the important opportunities and challenges that they’re faced with. A lot of people discouraged me and laughed at my face when I told them I wanted to be an actor. I’ve never let negativity hold me back. Choosing optimism has probably been the driving force behind how far I have come. It is better to face the challenge and achieve than regret letting go of opportunities. Confidence and hard work got me into the cinema,” he says.
Looking ahead, Shrestha remains humble, prioritizing collaboration with directors who share his vision. “While I have received offers for multiple projects, I am patiently awaiting the outcome of Somu Sound Engineer, after which I will make my next move,” he says.