‘Films with nail-biting content attract me as a viewer and actor’

It was a simple but special celebration amid the lockdown for Dheeren Rajkumar's birthday on Wednesday. The actor was happy to receive calls from friends and members of the film fraternity, giving him their best wishes. “On my behalf, fans of Shivanna and Appu (Puneeth Rajkumar) distributed food to people who are suffering during the lockdown and they sent videos. This made it more special,” says Dheeren, who is making his debut with Shiva 143. The commercial entertainer, directed by Anil Kumar, is being made under the banner of Jayanna Films and will be released this year.

The newcomer is happy with the way he is developing a fan base, even before he has been seen on the silver screen. “Developing fans is not a strategy. I feel that if somebody likes you, you like them back,” says Dheeren, who is the next actor to come from the Rajkumar clan. He has obviously grown up watching movies and learning acting. “What our family has done till date is our heritage, and that is what I want to do. It is not about the profession alone, but also the personal front. I would like to take the family tradition forward,” he says.

Shooting for the much-awaited debut of Dheeren has been completed, except for one song, which could not be shot because of the lockdown. “I am waiting for the song to be completed as it will help me remove my long hair and beard,” he says.

Reacting to the delay in the release of his debut, Dheeren says, “Nobody knew we will have a situation like COVID-19, where we will have to lock ourselves inside. But now, we have to face it and look forward with hope,” he adds.

Going forward, he has a list of subjects that he wants to be a part of. “As an actor and audience, I am a fan of suspense thrillers and murder mysteries,” says Dheeren, adding, “I would prefer to work in subjects where there is scope for the film as well as the performance. Since I like to watch films with nail-biting content where the subject becomes the hero, I would want to act in them too.”