Ram Interview, Ram Interview for Hyper Promotion

Having made his acting debut at a very young age, Ram has come a long way with his share of ups and down. In this candid chat, he looks back at his own journey, ponders, and explains what has worked and what has not in his career so far. He also talks about his forthcoming release Hyper, and how travelling has helped him in self-discovery.

It’s been a decade since you started acting. When you look back, what is that you find fascinating about your own journey?

The fact that I’ve been doing (acting) what I’ve always wanted to do in life and that I’ve survived this long fascinates me. Each day in these ten years has been exciting because I love what I do, irrespective of the result of my films over the years. Also, there’s so much I learnt in all these years and it helped in introspection.

You started acting at a very young (17-18). So do you feel you missed out on all the fun in college life and hanging out with friends?

This (acting) is what gives me happiness and this is what I always sought in life. So there’s no question of not liking what I’ve been doing. In fact, I’ve fallen in love with acting; so much so that, I look forward to donning the greasepaint each day.

If you were to asses yourself (career-wise) based on your journey so far, what would you tell yourself?

I don’t want to be self-satisfied and restrict myself. I need to improve in every aspect and it all depends on the kind of scripts I choose and the different directors I work with. I strongly believe each director brings out something different in me on screen and in the process I discover something new about myself.

With Nenu Sailaja, your last release, you proved that one need not necessarily have to do commercial films to score a hit, yet you’re following it up with an out-and-out commercial outing such as Hyper. Is this a formula of sorts?

Whether you do a commercial film or something offbeat audiences will only accept a film if it’s good. As an actor, I try and avoid doing the routine commercial films that follow a certain pattern or formula, say, like two action sequences in the first half, followed by comedy and romance. I try and choose genuine scripts and Hyper is the best example. We started Hyper as a film that addresses a social issue but we had to add commercial elements to sugarcoat it because the masses come to cinemas for entertainment. Those who watched Nenu Sailaja felt it missed the songs-and-dance routine that all my previous films offered. Even though Hyper is a commercial film, it’s filled with an emotional core. However, even within the commercial space, we haven’t done anything specifically, like include a few comedians or spoof some popular film or character to please the audience.

Do you believe commercial cinema format is a smart way to create awareness about any social issue?

I believe it’s the most effective way and director Shankar sir has proved it with his films. Even though several of his films have touched upon corruption, they were widely accepted and appreciated because they were commercially appealing and entertaining. Moreover, commercial films are made for the masses, and hence, their reach is wide and the message you want to say is respected. I strongly believe it’s through these kinds of films you get closer to the audience.

You’ve reunited with Santhosh Srinivas after Kandireega. Did it feel like homecoming working with him after all these years?

Kandireega was a huge it back then and we were aware that whenever we plan to come together, expectations will be sky-high. We didn’t want to do another film on the lines of Kandireega because whatever worked in its favour back then may not work now. However, we wanted to give a film that’s as entertaining as Kandireega, but falls in a different league altogether. Hyper is the kind of film where the soul wouldn’t let us divert even a little. Santhosh was also particular that post the release of Hyper audiences should take him seriously.

It’s the second time in a row you’ve worked with actor Sathyaraj. How was the experience of sharing screen space with the veteran?

A lot of people don’t know how Sathyaraj sir is off screen. Although he mostly plays serious characters in his films, he’s very jovial in real life. He’s one of the main pillars of Hyper. I always wanted to do a film with a relevant social message but I felt I didn’t have the stature and age to deliver it. Sathyaraj sir has that stature and respect and that’s why we brought him on board.

Despite being one of the popular and promising stars, you’re life is devoid of controversies and you’re rarely to be seen in the social circle. How do you maintain such a low profile lifestyle?

I can walk in to a mall without being noticed and if I want I can also be noticed. But I choose to be rarely seen outside. When I’m working, I’m rarely in touch with my family and friends. I work, go home, and come back to the sets next day. Once I’m done with a film, I compensate by travelling and meeting friends wherever they are in the world.

You’ve spoken about travelling in most of your interviews. What is that you find most rewarding about the process?

Once you start spending time with yourself, once you start enjoying your own company, you find the balance in life. Hits and flops do affect me, but not beyond a point because they’re not all that matters in life. Travelling has changed me a lot as a person. When you meet people within the industry circle, the discussions are usually about films and the tone is very calculative. When you step out and start meeting new people, who don’t know anything about you, that’s when you get to know about your real self.

Interview by HP