Venkatesh Daggubati on ‘Saindhav’: I surprised myself with my agility in the action sequences

Saindhav, an action-packed Telugu film featuring actor Venkatesh Daggubati in his 75th film role, will hit the screens on January 13. The film’s director Sailesh Kolanu stated that after viewing movies like The Equalizer and Taken, he was inspired by the desire to see experienced Telugu actors collaborate with younger directors to create action-oriented films that had a more realistic slant, and Saindhav is reportedly a result of this concept. Venkatesh noted in an interview with The Hindu that he shared this vision and has been on the hunt for such film projects.

He revealed that over the years, he was motivated by Bruce Willis's films and others like The Equaliser and Taken to partake in story-driven films that contained an element of action. He expressed his joy at the opportunity to star in Saindhav, as it allowed him to venture into this realm. The film sees Venkatesh essay the role of Saindhav Kolanu, a loving husband and father, who crosses swords with Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s character to safeguard his ailing daughter.

Venkatesh stated that scripts typically found him, not the other way round. When the film’s producer, Venkat Boyanapalli, approached him with Sailesh’s recipe for this action drama, Venkatesh instinctively agreed to the project. He remembers hitting it off immediately with Sailesh, with their rapport resembling that of old college mates. The duo continued the process of developing Venkatesh’s character in a manner that reminisces a jamming session between friends.

Venkatesh, who is 63, recalled his previous action venture, Narappa, admitting the physically demanding nature of it was a challenge at his age. However, he surprised himself with his agility on the sets of Saindhav, rating the film’s climax among the best of his cinematic experiences. He also appreciated the significant contributions from the film's technical team, consisting of cinematographer Manikandan and music composer Santhosh Narayanan.

Venkatesh mentioned that the chance to explore various genres throughout his career evolved organically. He has an instinctive approach to acting and is at his best when he can act naturally. He also appreciated his recent digital venture, Rana Naidu, asserting that viewers are more adaptive to evolving content. Despite mixed reactions, Rana Naidu made it to Netflix’s list of top 400 globally viewed shows.

Even though he has predominantly appeared in Telugu films, Venkatesh has had some Hindi ventures like Anari and Taqdeerwala. He mentioned plans for a second season of Rana Naidu. Reflecting on his career spanning over three decades, Venkatesh expressed his contentment. He extended his gratitude to his fans, media and audience for their constant support and confessed his pride in being part of the thriving Telugu cinema industry.