Sriimurali: Seeing the audience’s love for Bagheera has made every bit of effort worthwhile

Sriimurali, riding high on the success of Bagheera, expressed heartfelt gratitude to his fans. The story, written by the director Prashanth Neel of KGF and Salaar fame, has been a major draw, bringing in over Rs 16 crores since its release on October 31.

In his interaction with the media during the film's success meet, Sriimurali shared his intensive three-year journey for Bagheera: "This role demanded my contribution to the optimum—both mentally and physically. Portraying the dual shades of IPS officer Vedanth and Bagheera, the vigilante, meant rigorous training and diet. For three years, I kept it all in check, thanks to my coach Bharath.” Now, he’s savouring long-missed indulgences, adding, “I’m finally eating everything I craved, from kebabs to all my favourite foods!"

The actor praised the team and the production house Hombale for their unwavering belief, saying, “A strong guru is essential to find clarity and achieve our goals. The dedication of our entire team was on full display. Now, after two decades in the industry, I feel like my work should speak for itself.” Opening up on his meticulous preparation, he says, “I rehearsed in front of a mirror; I even used towels shaped like guns to get into character. Seeing the audience’s love has made every bit of effort worthwhile.”

Dr Suri, whose previous works include directing Lucky and working with Prashanth Neel for KGF and Salaar, took a moment to address the audience's support, admitting, “I earlier urged the media to only support Bagheera if it deserved it. I apologise if it seemed otherwise. Despite festival releases and big-budget competition, our audience has kept us strong. We are immensely grateful.”