Raksh: Television was never my cup of tea

The popular television star is making his silver screen debut with Naragundha Bandaya  
 Raksh: Television was never my cup of tea

Raksh will soon be joining the list of actors who have made the transition from television to the silver screen. The actor, who came into the limelight through serials like Puttagowri Maduve and Gattimela, is making his feature film debut with Naragundha Bandaya. Raksh admits that he always wanted to be a hero in cinema and adds that the opportunity has come his way a bit late. “Television was never my cup of tea,” he says. 

Ahead of the period drama's release on March 12, the actor recounts his journey in the entertainment industry. “I  was active in the theatre space for nine years, performing with the troupe Prathikriye,” says Raksh, who reveals that he was supposed to be launched as a hero in films before he ventured into the small screen. “I had signed two films, which were launched too. Unfortunately, the films did not take off as planned. My performance in theatre caught the attention of Ramji, the producer of serial, Puttagowri Maduve, who insisted that I do teleserials, as it was evolving into a better place. He felt that being part of his serial might help me in the future, and it did.”

Director Nagendra Magadi’s Naragundha Bandayaa is a biopic on Veerappa Basappa Kadlikoppa. “It is based on the first-ever farmers’ revolt that took place in 1980. Naragundha is 60 km away from Hubli and is known to be the revolutionary land of farmers. Veerappa Basappa Kadlikoppa was shot dead in the biggest revolt of Karnataka. His courage is still respected a lot by the people, and the movement led by him advocated the creation of the ‘hasiru vasthra’.  After his death, a massive revolt took place and the government fell apart,” reveals Raksh.

The actor, who wanted his first film to be unique, admits that the transition was challenging. “Those who have always seen me as a chocolate boy on television will now see a new version of me. It's a bit of a risk to play a farmer in your debut, but I took it as a challenge and prepared both physically and mentally,” he says.

Raksh has six films in hand, out of which three have stalled, while the rest are waiting for a release date. 

Naragundha Bandaya is jointly produced by Siddhesh Viratamatha, who has also written the story of the film, and Shekar Yaluvigi. It stars Shubha Pooja as the female lead. The cast includes Sadhu Kokila, Avinash, Bhavya, Ravi Chethan, and Neenasam Ashwath. The film has music by Dharma Vish and cinematography by R Giri.

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