Varun Sandesh: It's not always about the money

Varun Sandesh, the young upcoming star, already has a few enemies, all out to slander his reputation, or so he believes. Denying allegations that he demands hefty fees, Varun says, "Recently, I refused some films and some gossip-mongers went around saying that my refusal was based on the fact that the producers were not paying what I asked for. The truth is, I could not provide the required dates to some of the producers, who approached me. And there were some films I refused because I simply did not like the script. I never say 'no" to producers otherwise, and money has never been the criterion– what matters is the script, and, of course, the character that I am supposed to enact."

Varun"s latest film, Maro Charitra, is due for release soon. The film is a rehashed remake of the earlier Maro Charitra which starred Kamal Haasan. In this version, Varun plays an NRI, and the entire unit was convinced that the role was tailor-made for him. By his own admission, he earned the image of a lover-boy after his role in Happy Days, but it was his performance in Kurradu, which boosted his career. “I am not afraid of failure," says Varun, “there is a healthy competitive atmosphere in the Telugu film industry. It gets tough sometimes with the entry of new stars from film star families, but there are always producers who are willing to work with talented, new artistes."