Exclusive! Priyuraalu actor Kaushik Mekala opens up about his next, Kill Me, a crime thriller

Kaushik Mekala looked anything but a newbie in his first Telugu film, Priyuraalu, directed by Rama Raju, that released directly on SonyLIV in 2021. Cast as a notorious, abusive watchman, who gets into a messy affair with a maid in the apartment, he went against the grain in a role that had little or no connection to his urban upbringing and still made a meal of it. 

Now, the youngster is getting ready for another release Kill Me. In a tete-a-tete with OTTplay.com, the actor talks of his various experiences that made him take up films as a career.

An unexpected entry into films

I was just another engineering student, studying Electronics in Hyderabad and I had no idea about making a career in the industry. I am a very sociable person in general, easygoing, have no stage fear and was never camera conscious. I enjoyed being a part of a few photoshoots in my college days and out of nowhere, through a few acquaintances, landed an opportunity to star in a film. The offer didn't materialise but it triggered my interest to try acting seriously.

When I told my parents about my acting ambitions, they were initially hesitant. We had no connections within the industry and they heard all sorts of things about a career in films. However, they budged soon. Many people kept saying many things but what essentially matters is your conviction and determination to accomplish your aim. The world will have an opinion on anything and everything but I am focused on my goal.

Film school diaries, early struggles

I later joined Ramanaidu Film School and was pursuing a diploma course in acting. I realised that what we learnt in film school and the practical experiences were different. At the end of the class, one can theorise everything though it boils down to the way you handle a situation on the field. My acting guru Satyam Yabi consistently kept informing me about various auditions, film opportunities at several production houses. 

The going wasn't smooth at all. Just when you think you've got hold of a role and the film is about to take off, you'll get replaced at the last minute without any prior notice. People with dubious credentials try to approach you with fancy offers and it's very hard to figure out their or the banner's credibility. Some ask you to invest a certain amount of money to be launched as a lead or pay for a role in a film. One needs to go through these bizarre experiences to have an understanding of the practical problems.

The Priyuraalu experience

Before Priyuraalu happened, I played the second lead in a film called Miles of Love. For Priyuraalu, Rama Raju (garu) just looked at my images and we had a meeting and he immediately cast me. Probably with the way I carried myself or my body language, he trusted me so much that I didn't have to audition for it. Rama Raju garu and my co-actor Sai Kamakshi Bhaskarla made me feel very comfortable on sets and the shoot progressed peacefully.

I relished the challenge of playing a role with grey shades in Priyuraalu. All I had to do was to grab hold of the character's psychology and understand various aspects of his personality. The Telangana slang for the role came naturally to me. I am in the industry to be an actor and try all kinds of characters. Satyam (Yabi) garu's inputs were very helpful in approaching the character. He offered us many tips to play roles, right from taking note of the age, behaviour, their dressing sense and the way they speak. 

Grabbing a role in Kill Me

While I was doing Priyuraalu, I thought I had to wait for the film to release to get any future offers. Unexpectedly, in the middle of the shoot, I was referred by an associate director for a role in Kill Me. I submitted a few acting videos and gave a series of auditions for it. I was eventually cast in the film but the director Venkata Narayana had second thoughts and wondered if I could pull off the part. However, the rest of the team, including the cinematographer, gave him confidence in my abilities.

All of the director's apprehensions had vanished when he watched me perform the role on the first day of the shoot. There was no looking back. Kill Me has a very gripping story and is a crime thriller. The role is quite different from Priyuraalu and the makers are thinking of a release in the next couple of months. I have signed two more films which are currently in the pre-production phase. I am hungry to do all kinds of roles and eager to prove myself.