I am first a comedian, then a hero: Sharan

Right now, all that actor Sharan can think or talk about, is his upcoming film, Raambo 2. The film, which he stars in and produces, is made under his home banner Laddoo Cinemas. No wonder then that he tells us this film is 'special to me in every way'. “It is the most awaited film from our team because of the content and style of making,” he tells Cinema Express, just two days before its release.

Looking back to his Rambo days, Sharan recollects how the 2012 film, which was his 100^th film, was the one that turned him into a hero. “But, it was never my choice. I’d never looked at Rambo as a launchpad. Neither did I think that the film would turn me into a producer. In fact, my first reaction when I was asked to play the lead was, 'No.' I’m so glad that I changed my mind. Destiny had better plans.” 

The comedian-turned-hero hasn’t forgotten his roots. Having played comic characters for 10 years, he started wondering if there was anything beyond character roles. Which is when he decided that it was time to take a risk. But change is stressful, as Sharan found out. “I was worried if I would be able to pull off a hero’s act. If it didn’t work out, I wouldn’t get these character roles either,” he says.   

But his team gave him confidence to make the shift. They told him that as a comedian, his roles were pretty much the same. “There wasn’t much variety to the roles. In each of them I just had to make the audience laugh. As actors, we need to prove our diversity.”

He points to his previous films, all of which fall under the comedy genre. But at this point, there’s no looking back. “For the record, I’m first a comedian and then a hero,” he says.

While he admits Rambo was a milestone in his career, he’s hoping that Raambo 2 will also be a turning point. “This film is a mix of different genres. While it’s primarily a comedy film, it does have a blend of sub genres - thriller, action, emotional drama--all of them in right proportions,” he says. At the same time, Sharan promises that the film provides some food for thought--about matters of the heart.

However, he clarifies immediately that there is no melodrama in the film. “It just doesn’t suit me. I don’t think my fans would like to see me doing something like that,” he adds.

They’ve been creating a buzz about two cars 'playing' important roles, and Sharan says that Raambo 2 will be his first film based on a road journey. “The car in Raambo 2 is not a prop, it’s a character who travels along with me. In fact, the cars have more scenes than I have,” he says.

Raambo 2 directed by Anil Kumar is a joint venture of technicians, who have turned producers and features Ashika Ranganath as the heroine. The film has music by Arjun Janya and cinematography by Sudhakar S Raj.