How excited are you as your movie hits theaters after two years?

I’m a movie theater fanboy. After two years, I will feel the theatrical atmosphere among the audience. So, I’m super excited about my new version.

For the first time, you have acted in a period film.

Period dramas should be made with strong stories. From a budgetary point of view, they carry a lot of risk. We can only convince audiences when we have the right technicians who can create that sensation on screen. Shyam Singha Roy has an incredible story. We have the perfect cast, and a great team too.

Your makeover and the story of the film are reminiscent of Kamal Haasan’s Nayakudu.

Shyam Singha Roy is a different story with a different vibe and mood. Since I’m a fan of Kamal Haasan sir, there may be a bit of influence from him on my makeover in the movie.

What prompted you to make this film?

There are four episodes in the film which will leave the audience on a high level of emotion. They have gelled beautifully in the story.

How was your journey with director Rahul Sankrityan?

Rahul has the same qualities as Jersey director Gowtam Tinnanuri. They talk less and are centered. We were all in shock when Rahul Sankrityan showed his enthusiasm for the film at his pre-release event. I’ve never seen him like this before. Probably, these kinds of people save their energy to express themselves at certain times (laughs). He handled the film with incredible detail, clarity, and vision.

How much effort did you make to speak Bengali in the film?

During filming we have a Bengali assistant director and other members of the crew who know Bengali to help us bring the nuances and authenticity of the language.

Who is the hero fighting for in the film – against the devadasi system or for his love?

The protagonist of the film fights against different forms of evil. Shyam Singha Roy is a fictional character and he is an atheist. So anger is ingrained in him. But what if he falls in love or how he deals with social barriers make this film an epic love story.

Sirivennela Sitharama Sastry wrote her last song for Shyam Singha Roy. Tell us about this?

One day Rahul called me and told me that Sitharama Sastry told him that Sirivennela’s song was going to be his last song. But we didn’t expect that to happen. In the song, he tells the whole story of the film. It makes sense if you watch the movie. No one can write like him. It was the end of the era. It is a blessing that he wrote such a song for Shyam Singh Roy, and it is up to us to celebrate it. The film begins with a tribute card to him.

Jersey is set for an upcoming Bollywood release. Have you met Shahid Kapoor?

Personally, we haven’t met yet. When I was in Mumbai for a shoot, director Gowtam told me that Shahid wanted to meet me once. However, Shahid was busy daytime shooting while I was busy nighttime shooting. So nothing materialized at that time. We could meet after leaving Jersey.

Tell us about your upcoming projects?

Ante Sundaraniki is nearing completion and is slated for release in April. Dasara is a pure, raw, rustic, adrenaline-charged movie set in Telangana. These films will be released in all the languages ​​of South India.