Niranjan Sudhindra plays an investigative journalist uncovering a massive bank scam in Spark, directed by D Mahantesh Handral and produced by Dr Garima Avinash Vashistha under Garima Avinash Productions and GAP Studios banners. Heading to theatres on September 25, the film also features Bhavana Menon, Dharmanna Kadur, Ramesh Indira, and Abhay Vashistha in prominent roles. While the film is heavy with action, Niranjan contends the sequences belong in the script. "Nothing is forced into this story. We did not shoot action for the sake of coolness. it all makes sense for the plot," he explains. "When a journalist goes after powerful people to fight for ordinary citizens, they will try to shut him down. The action happens because of that conflict."
One would feel tempted to exploit the influence if he is the nephew of Upendra. But Niranjan wants to build his own career on his own merits. "I don't like asking my uncle to open doors for me. He walked his own path. I have to make it on my own ability. It takes time; this is my ninth year in the industry; however, the grind teaches you how to carry yourself. If you're handed success on a plate, you won't respect the work that is required."
The film also pits him against Prem, who steps into a cold, ruthless antagonist role. Niranjan relied on his theatre days to hold his ground alongside the veteran. "Prem sir didn't overpower me," he says. "Theatre taught me that in front of the camera, you are only the character. Off camera, we get along great, but once action is called, it’s strictly work. If he owns one scene, the script gives me the room to hit back in the next. The director kept both roles balanced like a real tug-of-war." As for the box office, he stays practical: "I’ve faced tests all my life. If people connect with the film, the business follows. I just want audiences to come, watch, and enjoy it."
For Rachana Inder, moving away from the soft romantic roles of Love Mocktail and Love 360 meant finding a character with real substance. Playing a medical student caught in the crisis, she says embellishment of her role is icing on the cake and not an element used to hide emptiness. "The styling is just an extra detail on top of a solid part, not an empty look pretending to be a character," she says. "In mainstream films, finding a role that lets you actually act instead of just posing is rare."
Doing fast-paced numbers like 'Shakalaka' is new for her, but screen time isn't her primary focus. "Dancing in a big commercial track was completely new for me. Even in Love Mocktail, my screen time was short, but people remembered it. In Spark, the director gave my role genuine weight alongside the big mass elements," she says.
