18 January, 2013
Hyderabad

Vennela Rama Rao has a big backstory. He made his acting debut in Sindhooram in 1997 and then went to USA to make a living. After 15 years, he has surrendered his USA citizenship and is seriously pursuing his passion for cinema. Here are the excerpts of an exclusive chitchat -

journey
I am born and brought up in Tanuku and completed engineering in Bellary. I had always been interested in films since childhood. I do a lot of mimicry. I used to do a lot of mimicry in my college time and I used to entertain people. I have the ability of mimicking whoever I meet up with in my life. My professors in college are so much impressed that they used to ask me to imitate them satirically.

After completing my engineering I got a job in Hyderabad Bottling Company (Currently Big Cinemas, Amir pet) as an electrical engineer. I came to know that Krishna Vamsi was looking for new actors for his Sindhooram. I approached him and he asked me to perform. I told him a few mother-sentiment dialogues. He gave a chance to play the role of a naxalite who dies in Sindhuram.

I got married after Sindhuram. I had two options: film career or family. I chose family over film career and went to USA to work as a software engineer. I wanted to earn quick money and come back so that I could pursue film career. But it didn't materialize. My wife is against the idea.

Ironically it was a casual information given by my wife that opened up doors to Telugu cinema. My wife told me that there are a few auditions going on in Digimax Studio in NJ. Deva Katta came to Digimax to do auditions for heroine for his film Vennela. I introduced myself and gave an audition. He was impressed and selected me for the chef role in desi restaurant.

I knew Brahmanandam for a long time as he was an acquaintance of my uncle. I met him during my stay at Hyderabad and it was of no use. I was fortunate to share the screen space with Brahmanandam in Vennela. I have also worked as an assistant director for Vennela. Though Vennela was successful, I couldn't shift to India because of citizenship. I have also done a NRI film Sangamam.

I met Seenu Vytla when he came to USA for TANA and shown my clips. He gave me to call to do Chitti Naidu (master Bharat) father character in Ready film. Later I had done a small role in Dookudu film as well. I have done a noticeable role in Madhura Sreedhar’s It’s My Love Story. I surrendered my citizenship and decided to pursue my film career seriously. One of my friends encouraged me by giving partnership in his software company so that I can operate and make a living by staying in India.

I also has got a small role in Eega film. I missed oppurtunities in films like Vennela 1 ½ and Auto Nagar Surya. I became desperate and started visiting all prominent offices. I met Srikanth 2 and half years back along with his student. Actor Praveen told me about auditions of SVSC and went and gave my demo to Srikanth’s AD. They did auditions for me for 3 months. He gave me a tele-interview dialogue. I narrated the dialogue to him in four dialects - srikakulam, vijayawada, telangana, west godari. He liked my Vijayawada accent. He asked me to come up and speak more about mannerisms and style of a typical vijayawada youth. Hee loved it and finalized me for the role of Mahesh Babu’s friend.

Venkatesh: We were little tensed up when Venky came for the shoot as he is a senior star. He made us feel comfortable. He asked us if we like Gujarathi food and ordered some food from that restaurant for us.

Mahesh Babu: Mahesh Babu is highly professional and a reserved guy. He spends some time with us before that shot so that it comes perfect. There is a bike in scene in the film which I am supposed to drive with Mahesh sitting on the back. It’s been 13 years since I drove a bike. When I tried hesitantly, Mahesh understood it and asked me to sit on back and drove it.

Vennela Rama Rao trying the bike	Mahesh takes over after coming to know

At present I am doing Madhura Sridhar’s Backbench Student. I am expecting good roles since my performance got noticed in recently released SVSC.

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