‘I am an actor, so I don’t act outside of work. With me, you get what you see’

He’s acutely aware that he’s been missing in action onscreen for over a year and half — a time in which he has also tried to consciously stay out of the public eye, despite all the ‘attention’ his accident in Mysuru got. But now that his film,Yajamana, is up for release, Darshan is back and raring to go. On a day packed with promotional interviews for TV, he took time out for a quick chat with us, and spoke at length about Yajamana, his relationship with composer-turned-director V Harikrishna and much more.Excerpts…
Where have you been?
My last release was Tarak in 2017. Since then, I have been busy shooting for Kurukshetra, Yajamana and Odeya. In fact, I had finished shooting for Kurukshetra, but what we did not foresee is the amount of graphic work it required and how time consuming that is. In the absence of a film up for release, I did not see the point in talking about myself. I would rather have my work do the talking. That will all change now, as I have three films coming up this year, and a couple, at least, in 2020. The plan is to do three films a year going forward.
Does the attention your car accident got have anything to do with you shying away from the media?
Not really, and I truly believe that the past should remain in the past. But I won’t deny that I was appalled by the direction the coverage took, in terms of how many people were in the car, if we had female company, and so on and so forth. Till date, no one has really asked me how I have been after the incident or, if we have managed to get the insurance claim on that car. Right now, I want the focus to only be on my work — Darshan the hero, and that’s it. I don’t like it when my personal life becomes the centre of attention.
But that is part and parcel of being a celebrity, right?
True, but the sad part is that I can’t even go out. The unfortunate victim of me being a celebrity is my son, whom I can’t even take out for a fast food or ice cream outing. Like any other father, I would also like to hold his hand and stroll out. But I am forced to have other people do it for me. Back in the day, when I was growing up, I used to feel my father’s absence in a similar fashion. But I am not completely incommunicado these days. I find social media a better channel to let my fans know what’s keeping me busy.
One thing that people have read into your ‘silence’ is that you have changed…
See, that’s the thing — I haven’t. What has changed is the perception that people have of me. I have and will always remain the same. My day almost always is about work from, say, 9 am to about 5.30-6 pm, after which I switch off and prefer to be away from work. I don’t even pick up work-related calls unless they are very important and need immediate attention. I have always been very clear that I like my personal space — I go home, hang out with friends, eat well, enjoy a tipple and sleep. Since I am acting as part of work, I don’t see the point in acting and putting on a show for people about the kind of person I am. With me, you get what you see.
You are back now with Yajamana, a film that the entire team has been guarding fiercely and not letting out much information about…
After March 1, when the film releases, we cannot keep anything secret anymore. By the time the first show is over, the fate of the film is decided. We are not making any tall claims that we have made an extraordinary film. But what I will say is that Yajamana is a clean family entertainer, which has elements that pretty much everyone can relate to. My character is called Krishna and he is the catalyst for exploring certain issues of society that we have highlighted in Yajamana. The film has a very strong subject and with a message for society. But it is not preachy and is a pucca commercial film.
The film also marks the directorial debut of V Harikrishna, with who you have a long-standing relationship...
Yes, Hari has worked on 25 films with me so far and is like family to me. I always knew that he was very passionate about films. But every time he broached a subject, I had actually chided him and asked him to concentrate on what he does best — make music. Yajamana is actually credited to Hari and P Kumar as directors. On the set of the film, I was astounded by Hari’s knowledge of filmmaking and how far he would go to bring his vision onscreen. I would actually rate him a nine on 10 as a filmmaker.
On record, Yajamana is your 51st film. Now that you have reached a milestone, will there be a change in the kind of roles you pick up?
Oh no. As an actor, I have been the same since Majestic. I look for a good story and character and the film should have a message.
Would we see you in a new-age experimental film?
Who will watch it? I don’t see a big market for such films. If I start doing bridge cinema, for instance, it is not going to help the industry in generating enough money to circulate and make more movies. The real money spinners are commercial films. Experimental movies are part of a different genre and I am not a part of that.