Denikaina Ready

It was 13 years ago that his career in the film industry began. He was 19 when he was cast in director Teja’s ‘Nuvvu Nenu’ which was a commercial hit. However, with little luck on his side, Madhunandan went on to work in many other films, but failed to make a mark or gain recognition. Then, he managed to strike it lucky with ‘Gunde Jaari Gallanthayyinde’ (GJG) which brought him fame overnight. It also managed to make him busy with seven films now - ‘Kottha Janta’, ‘Pyar Mein Padipoyane’, ‘Oka Laila Kosam’, ‘Geethanjali’, ‘Rhabasa’, ‘Rowdy Fellow’, and ‘Close Friends’. He will be seen as a lead in the last one.

So how did ‘the break’ happen for him? “I owe my break and success to Nithiin. He is the one who suggested my name for the role and made this possible,” he says. The duo had first met on the sets of ‘Nuvvu Nenu’ for which Nithiin’s father, Sudhakar Reddy, was the distributor, and they instantly hit it off. “We became pretty close friends. In fact I can say he is my guide, mentor and the biggest support I have in the industry,” he further adds.

In spite of Nithiin’s support, who had a long line of bad days himself, the actor says his journey wasn’t a cakewalk. Being an outsider in the industry does make it difficult for you, he says. There was a time when he had decided to call it quits and continue with his alternate career option. “It took me 13 years to gain some recognition. So one can understand how difficult it is. But I had another job - I worked as a HR manager with a company and worked on films at the same time. However after ‘Takkari’, I left for the US and decided to bid adieu, then it was Nithiin who convinced me to come back and that’s how GJG happened.”

Wasn’t he worried that he will be typecast as the hero’s friend considering the roles he has been selecting – ‘GJG’, ‘Kottha Janta’, ‘Geethanjali’? “Right now I want to do everything that comes my way. I need to first establish myself before I can choose the kind of characters that I would like to do. Maybe two or three successful ventures could help. ” Madhunandan says he would rather be called an actor than be addressed as a villain or comedian. So what’s his dream role? Pat comes the reply, “Sonu Sood’s in ‘Arundhati’.”