South
actor
Dhananjaya
is
on
a
winning
streak.
With
incessant
film
releases
and
announcements,
the
actor
has
been
wowing
his
legion
of
fans.
Currently,
the
stalwart
is
basking
in
the
success
of
his
latest
release
Salaga
co-starring
Duniya
Vijay
(also
the
actioner's
director).
On
the
flip
side,
he
is
also
awaiting
his
highly
anticipated
film
Rathnan
Prapancha
which
is
releasing
on
October
22
on
Amazon
Prime
Video,
marking
his
maiden
OTT
venture.
Directed
by
Rohit
Padaki,
the
film
also
features
Reba
Monica
John
in
the
lead.
With
its
recent
trailer
release,
the
film
has
already
garnered
undivided
attention.
In
fact,
what
has
grabbed
eyeballs
is
Dhananjaya's
role
as
Rathnakara,
an
Insurance
agent
which
seems
unconventional
from
the
characters
he
has
played
earlier
in
his
illustrious
acting
career.
In
an
exclusive
tête-à-tête
with
Filmibeat,
Dhananjaya
gets
candid
about
his
character
Rathnakara
from
Rathnan
Prapancha.
The
seasoned
actor
also
shares
about
foraying
into
new
film
industries,
his
next
biggie
Pushpa
and
also
other
exciting
forthcoming
projects.
Basically
everything
under
the
sun
about
films
and
only
films.
Excerpts:
Tell
us
what
intrigued
you
to
be
a
part
of
Rathnan
Prapancha?
The
story
and
the
writing.
I
was
in
tears
when
Rohit
Padaki
narrated
the
story.
I
got
emotional
post
the
narration
because
I
belong
to
a
middle-class
family
and
the
film
is
also
about
a
middle-class
man
who
is
an
insurance
agent.
His
struggles
and
realizations
were
something
I
could
easily
connect
to.
Every
single
character
and
dialogue
in
the
film
were
relatable
too.
I
really
wanted
to
do
such
a
character
because
I
was
totally
into
gangster
and
mass
commercial
films,
and
suddenly
a
director
comes
and
narrates
a
story
about
a
common
man
with
lots
of
values
and
middle-class
emotions.
So,
I
said
yes
to
the
project
and
I
really
enjoyed
the
whole
process
of
it.
You
are
best
known
for
your
intense
roles,
what
convinced
you
to
play
a
comic
character
and
how
different
it
is
from
the
ones
you
have
played
previously?
This
too
is
an
intense
role,
however,
the
situations
Rathnakara
(Dhananjay's
character
in
the
film)
goes
through
are
comical.
I
got
my
big
break
with
the
character
Daali
(from
Tagaru)
who
was
a
gangster.
Since
then
I
was
totally
lost
in
such
roles.
Before
that,
I
mostly
played
a
good
guy
and
one
of
them
was
from
my
first
short
film
Jayanagar
4th
Block
which
I
wrote
and
acted.
And
after
a
very
long
time,
Rohit
came
up
with
such
a
role
and
I
really
wanted
to
do
it.
It
gets
boring
when
you
keep
playing
similar
characters.
So
I
was
happy
to
be
Rathnakara.
It
was
a
different
experience.
I
wanted
to
do
such
a
character
in
this
phase
of
my
career.
The
film
marks
your
fourth
release
post
the
pandemic
and
first
OTT
venture.
What's
the
feeling
like?
Good
(laughs).
One
of
my
films
(Salaga)
is
running
in
theatres
now.
It's
a
blockbuster
and
now
there
is
an
OTT
film
coming
on
October
22.
So
it's
a
good
feeling.
If
I
had
done
similar
roles
in
both
the
films,
I
don't
think
it
would
have
gotten
the
same
response
which
it
is
getting
now.
So
every
character
which
I
am
playing
in
each
film
is
different
now,
especially
after
the
second
wave.
Salaga's
character
is
totally
different.
I
am
playing
an
upright
cop
and
people
are
enjoying
it.
Initially,
I
was
wondering
how
people
would
react
to
Ratnakara,
but
the
trailer
has
become
a
huge
hit.
So
I
think
people
want
to
see
him
more.
And
definitely,
I
am
happy
and
excited.
People
will
surely
accept
and
love
Rathnakara
as
much
as
they
loved
and
accepted
Daali.
You
have
been
on
an
experimenting
spree.
Of
late
you
are
exploring
different
roles
and
for
that
matter
even
film
industries.
Tell
us
what
motivates
you
to
push
boundaries.
I
want
my
life
to
be
very
exciting.
I
want
to
travel,
meet
new
people,
explore
and
read
more.
I
want
more
from
this
life.
So
I
am
exploring.
Every
day
is
a
learning
process
and
I
believe
every
day
is
a
new
day.
So
I
am
trying
to
do
everything
possible.
I
think
as
a
creative
person,
one
should
be
more
open
to
the
world,
their
windows
and
doors
should
be
open
for
new
light
and
air.
I
am
exploring
and
learning
that's
it.
I
don't
know
where
I
am
going
but
I
am
truly
enjoying
the
journey.
As
you
have
already
extended
your
branches
down
south,
will
we
see
you
plunging
into
Bollywood
anytime
soon?
I
think
south
and
Bollywood
are
two
entirely
different
worlds.
I
am
comfortable
with
south
languages,
be
it
Tamil,
Telugu,
Kannada
and
Malayalam.
I
don't
know
completely,
but
I
can
definitely
try
to
learn.
As
far
as
Hindi
is
concerned,
I
can
write
and
read
the
language,
but
I
am
not
sure
about
articulation,
but
I
would
love
to
explore
Bollywood
too
if
I
get
good
opportunities.
Definitely,
I
would
love
to
explore
Bollywood
too.
Pushpa
is
your
next
biggie.
What
are
your
expectations
with
the
film
and
how
has
been
the
experience
working
with
Allu
Arjun?
The
experience
was
totally
good.
Allu
Arjun
is
a
perfectionist.
It
was
a
new
experience.
I
have
always
been
a
fan
of
Sukumar
(Pushpa's
director).
I
am
someone
who
follows
all
the
films
of
every
industry.
I
am
a
big
fan
of
Suku
and
I
was
totally
surprised
when
someone
called
and
told
me
that
he
wants
to
meet
me.
I
have
a
favourite
director
in
Kannada
named
Soori
(Duniya
Soori-
Director
of
Tagaru).
So
when
I
met
Sukumar,
I
could
feel
that
the
duo's
thought
processes
were
quite
similar.
He
(Sukumar)
cast
me
after
watching
Tagaru
and
Bhairava
Geetha
(directed
by
Ram
Gopal
Varma).
I
enjoyed
playing
Jolly
Reddy.
He
is
one
of
the
colourful
characters
in
the
film.
There
are
many
antagonists
in
Pushpa
and
I
am
one
of
them.
But
it
surely
will
make
a
mark
and
will
get
me
more
reach
in
other
industries
too.
People
call
me
Daali
in
Karnataka,
and
after
Pushpa,
I
feel
people
from
other
industries
will
start
calling
me
Jolly
(laughs).
We
did
the
look
test
multiple
times.
I
have
been
to
Hyderabad
4-5
times
for
the
look
test
and
finally,
Sukumar
was
happy
with
one
of
them.
What
are
your
other
upcoming
projects?
After
Rathnan
Prapancha,
there
is
one
more
film,
which
is
ready
for
release
called
Badava
Rascal.
It's
my
first
production
venture
(releasing
under
Dhananjaya's
Daali
Pictures)
too.
There
is
another
film
which
we
are
shooting
right
now
which
is
Head
Bush,
it's
a
biopic
of
Bangalore's
first
underworld
don
MP
Jayaraj,
which
too
is
coming
under
Daali
Pictures.
There
is
21
hours.
It's
a
Kannada-Malayalam
film,
which
is
under
the
post-production
process.
There
are
two
Tamil
projects.
One
is
Paayum
Oli
Nee
Yenakku
and
another
one
is
Vijay
Milton.