Vijay Deverakonda is no stranger to success. From his breakout role in Pelli Choopulu to the recent triumph of his latest film, Kingdom, the actor has consistently impressed audiences and critics alike. In a candid interview, Deverakonda opens up about the overwhelming response to Kingdom, the collaborative process with director Gowtam Tinnanuri, and the exciting new projects on his horizon.
I have always been excited about the opportunities that would follow following a good box-office performance. Rather than celebrating a commercial hit, my mind aimed at bagging new opportunities. That was my sole expectation when Pelli Choopulu did well. In the case of Kingdom, the love of the audience has been so warming! Lately, my concern is to be more responsible as an actor. Kingdom was flooded with positive talk after FDFS shows. The 'word of mouth' brought me relief.
Gowtam Tinnanuri is a commanding filmmaker who can handle any dimension of filmmaking with stamina. His protagonists are so well-written, his sense of music is deep, his sense of shot composition is solid... And, of course, he can handle emotional drama in a gripping way. Kingdom stole my heart because it is a gangster drama with two brothers at its centre. This is the reason its action blocks are emotional and none of them exist without a purpose. The second part will be bigger and better. He has got many ideas for it. A one-part saga wouldn't have fleshed out all the layers effectively. Which is why the division was required.
Kingdom is multi-dimensional. Beyond the sibling drama, there is also the element of patriotism and the theme of tribal solidarity. Each idea is uniquely handled. Take the case of how the gang members do the voting endeavour. They place weapons on a table. The scene where my character Suri drags a heavy ship has been lauded by everyone. We filmed it during the peak May heat. If the audience feel that it is Kingdom's own Jersey-kinda moment, I am happy.
Since Kingdom is a period film, I did do my homework. I learned about how people spoke. I worked on my physique for months. I knew I was expected to bulk up for a few scenes.
First, I am collaborating with Rahul Sankrityan on a film set in the Rayalaseema region. This is my first time working with this backdrop, and I love the Seema dialect. After that, I will be filming with Ravi Kiran Kola. This project is based on a unique story set in Andhra Pradesh. My project with Sukumar garu will take off when it should. He and I have been planning to unite ever since Arjun Reddy came out.
