Kannada superstar Dr. Shiva Rajkumar’s superhit film Vedha released in Telugu on February 9. It opened to a positive response in the Telugu-speaking states. In an exclusive interview with The Pioneer, the actor spoke about what hurts him the most these days, his secret to staying fit, and his approach to work.
Amartya Smaran
Kannada film lovers will never miss out on an opportunity to cheer for their humble superstar, Dr. Shiva Rajkumar. His fans affectionately call him Karunada Chakravarthy. Irrespective of the result of his films, his reputation for being kind and gentle with all his well wishers won several hearts.
The superstar’s career boasts numerous hits like Anand (1986), Ratha Sapthami (1986), Manamecchida Hudugi (1987), Om (1995), Bhajaranji (2013), Tagaru (2018), and more recently Vedha (2022).
The Telugu-dubbed version of Vedha was released on February 9 under the title Shiva Vedha. With retributive justice as its core idea, the movie is a social drama that deals with the complex issue of victim shaming. The original version did exceptionally well, and the Telugu version is gradually picking up momentum.
The hat-trick hero was in town two days before the film’s release, promoting Shiva Vedha. The Pioneer interviewed Karunada Chakravarthy himself and struck the right chord with the actor. In this interview, Dr. Shiva Rajkumar takes a trip down memory lane, looking back at his glorious career. The Shiva Vedha star discusses what hurts him the most these days, his secret to staying fit, and his approach to work.
Three decades in the film industry, 125 films, and 60 years old. Giving us a rundown on how he perceives this remarkable journey, he said, “I think I should thank my mother for naming my first film Anand. It means happiness, and I think that happiness is being carried throughout my life. Usually, a debut film is important. Things like when it begins and what title we give it are very important. So, the title also carried those vibes and blessings throughout my career. I feel very blessed and happy.”
The Om actor is a family man first and then a superstar. In October 2021, the actor lost his brother, Puneet Rajkumar. Puneet Rajkumar’s sudden death left his family in serious shock. “In my career, I’ve met so many people—friends and co-stars. Some people are there, and some have gone. One thing that’s for sure is that we can’t always be there together. Otherwise, Appu (Puneet Raj Kumar) wouldn’t have gone so fast. That’s what’s hurting me. Losing my brother at such a young age, that’s another tough thing in my life, but we still feel Appu is with us,” shared the actor.
The star gave all the credit to his family and fans for his success. He said, “I’ve got lovely brothers, sisters, and cousins. We’re a joint family, and all my cousins are very important to me. Geetha and I have been married for 37 years, and I have two daughters (Nirupama and Niveditha). My elder daughter is a doctor, and the second one is an architect, but now she’s a part of the production house. Such a happy family, and that vibe is still intact. Overall, it has been a comfortable journey made possible by great people. Especially my mother and father, the industry, and above all, our fans, who’ve kept us in this position.”
In one of his recent interviews, the actor said he’d keep working in films until there was demand. He also said he’s happy that people still want to watch his films. “You never know whether I’ll have the same demand in three or four years,” he said. Following up on what he said, we asked him to clarify what he meant.
“I am saying, I don’t know,” said Shiva Rajkumar. “You can’t say that, but still, I don’t want to lose that demand. I’ll be working hard. Whenever I work, I think it’s my first film and work hard. Some films do well, and others don’t. If a film doesn’t go well, it doesn’t mean I haven’t done well. I gave my 100 percent for that film, too. Hit or flop, I should do my duty. It’s not that I should lose my fan base. I’ve never thought like that. When people are still liking me so much, why not do it? That’s all.”
Shiva Vedha is a film that’s heavy on action and emotion. The Bhajarani actor is 60 years old and still manages to pull off some of the most intense action sequences with utmost grace. What’s his secret? “Interest, willpower, and support systems from the industry and family. When it comes to being fit, I walk 9 kilometres daily and wake up at 5:30 a.m. I am an early riser. I take care of what I eat. I am not an overeater, and I am not much of a partygoer. Of course, I party, but not much. It’s not that important, but I do like to have fun. When I enjoy, I enjoy properly. Everything is there but in limited supply. So, maybe that’s the secret,” explains the actor.
It’s shocking to hear stars of Shiva Rajkumar’s stature say they don’t prepare. It’s really hard to fathom the fact that these men and women emote so well and still say they don’t prepare at all for their roles. Here’s what the Anand star had to say about his approach to work: “I don’t prepare anything. I just go with how my co-stars react and reciprocate in a scene to make it easier for them as well. That is not the case; I will do it one way, and they should do it another. No! There’s no compulsion like that. It’s all about understanding the co actors. In this film, everybody understood their role because everybody’s role is equally good. So, all of them had something to act on, and it was very easy for them to express their expressions.”
