After a career spanning more than 100 films, Cockroach Sudhi—known to audiences for his quirky name and memorable supporting roles—has finally arrived as a leading man. And he will be a leading man in not just one film, but three.
Sudhi’s upcoming outing as a hero is titled Chaildu, and is directed by Prakash Hebbala, who earlier made Haftha. The film, launched on Monday, is produced by Chandrashekar under the Kamala Films banner and is set to go on floors in October. While the makers are yet to finalise their technical crew, Sudhi is clear that the film is not a conventional gangster drama.
“Rowdyism is a familiar subject in cinema, but there are different ways of telling it. Chaildu has a unique screenplay centred on the underworld, and that’s what drew me in. Becoming a hero has been a dream, but I didn’t want to chase it with just any story.”
For an actor who has spent over a decade playing villains, sidekicks, and comic relief in films, the transition to a hero has been slow and steady. “Every actor has that ambition. When people appreciate you in supporting roles, it further gives your confidence to hold the screen for two and a half hours instead of just 15 minutes, and I wanted to take that challenge,” says Sudhi.
The journey to lead roles hasn’t come easy. Sudhi admits he never planned on ‘being a hero’ in the traditional sense. “I always believed the story should make me the hero. Whether it was a villain, a character role, or a comedian, I stuck to giving my best. If the story demands I take centrestage, I am ready.”
Alongside Chaildu, Sudhi will headline two more projects. One is directed by Nataraj, who previously helmed Wheelchair Romeo, and is titled Karthik @ Cockroach. This project has just 12 days of shooting left. The other project, which marks the directorial debut of lyricist Raghavendra Kamath, is titled Fidha, and is produced by Renuka Aradaya.
Sudhi isn’t confining himself to Kannada cinema either. He is all set to make his Telugu debut with Om Kaali, directed by Simha, and another Kannada film, Idea, with director RK, where he plays the antagonist. “These roles are proof that I don’t want to be boxed in,” he says. “Hero, villain, comedian—I’m ready for anything. What matters is whether the story makes an impact.”
For an actor who started as ‘Cockroach’ in the credits, the leap to carrying films on his shoulders is no small feat. But Sudhi is unfazed. “It has taken me time, yes. But maybe that’s the best part. When you wait this long, you value every frame.”
