‘I still struggle with my insecurities,’ revealed actor Duniya Vijay

Actor Duniya Vijay is currently gearing up for his Tollywood debut with Nandamuri Balakrishna’s Veera Simha Reddy. In a recent interaction with the media, the actor opened up about his excitement playing a villainous character, what challenged him the most while playing the part, his struggles with insecurities, and more.

Amarta Smaran

Actor Duniya Vijay is gearing up to make his Tollywood debut with Nandamuri Balakrishna’s Veera Simha Reddy, which is due for its release on January 12. Vijay will be seen playing a ruthless villainous character named ‘Musali Madugu Prathap Reddy’ in the commercial flick. The actor started his career by playing small but important roles in Kannada films.

It was in 2007 that he gained immense recognition for his portrayal of ‘Shivlingu’ in Suri’s directorial debut — Duniya. Hence, came the name Duniya Vijay.

The Jarasandha actor has a separate fan base for his action films in Sandalwood. However, Veera Simha Reddy is going to mark his debut in T’wood.

In a recent press meet, the star informed that he was excited to play the character right from the onset as it holds prime importance in the film. Vijay made it clear that being a hero or a villain doesn’t really bother him. “I never got into the industry thinking I’d want to play a hero. I just wanted to be a good actor and I’ve been lucky to end up in the right kind of films,” remarked the Dana Kayonu star at the press meet. “I play an important character in the film. When the director narrated the story to me, I was really impressed by the characterisation. My character drives the film forward and acts as an important piece in the story. When I asked director Gopi as to what made him offer me the part, he said I was just apt for the role and he’d watched my previous films. Therefore, I couldn’t say no to such a wonderful character. That was something which I liked and simply went ahead with the project. I’ll be seen in a powerful character in Veera Simha Reddy. And of course, acting opposite Balakrishna Garu was a fantastic experience. He’s a great human being.”

When questioned about what challenged him the most while playing the part, the actor mused, “We love this industry and that’s why we’re here. I just turn into a small kid the moment the camera turns on. That is the only way that I know as to how things work. I surrender myself to the director completely. I don’t carry my ego to the sets. Whatever the director asks me to, I do it with utmost sincerity. Even if someone younger to me corrects me in some way, I don’t necessarily look at it in a bad way. Instead, I try to receive it in the best way possible. Ego doesn’t have any place in this world and one shouldn’t carry it at all. We must omit the ‘E’ and ‘GO’.”

The Veera Simha Reddy antagonist quashed the conventional idea around actors wanting to outperform their contemporaries. “I respect all the actors equally because I believe everyone works hard,” reiterated Vijay, and says, “I don’t really compare myself. Everyone is unique in their own way and they all have their speciality. I really admire Shivanna from the Kannada film industry, but, you know, as an actor I really feel like playing all the good roles.”

Being insecure is a natural human trait. We all go through it and the actor is no different. He admitted openly that, to date, he struggles with insecurities. He told the media that he was never really comfortable with the colour of his skin and his overall appearance. “I still struggle with these things and I keep pushing myself really hard to excel at what I do,” told the Salaga star.

At the fag end of the interview, The Pioneer managed to squeeze in one last question regarding how to handle insecurities. “We all have insecurities. My thing with the colour has always been there and I learnt how to deal with it over time,” replied Vijay and concluded, “If you are in a place where you can work and achieve your dreams, don’t take it for granted. There are many people out there who don’t have the right platform to showcase their talent, but if you’re in a position where you can realise your dreams, give everything that you can and don’t take it for granted.”