Vinay Rajkumar on his choice of films: Never seen myself wanting to be a star

On the occasion of Vinay Rajkumar’s birthday, the teams of some of his films presented teasers and new posters. For starters, there was the gritty teaser of director Shreelesh S Nair’s gangster drama Pepe, and then one for director Suni’s Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe, both of which had netizens in awe of the actor’s unusual film choices.

“His fearless and experimental script selections deserve much better recognition and attention,” opined one netizen, referring to the actor’s filmography as an adult actor, which includes a couple of romantic dramas, thrillers and a sports drama, among others, all of which have been vastly different and not the routine commercial fare. “All the three upcoming movies of Vinay Rajkumar seem promising. Totally impressed by the promotional materials – positive vibes,” wrote another. A third added, “Vinay Rajkumar, one of the most underrated actors of our industry, who did different genres of his films in his career and continuously impressed audiences. Hope Pepe will bring all the applause and deserve the success for your honest attempt in every film.” Another wrote, “Every often I think, Vinay Rajkumar will win in a big way shortly. The efforts which are going in are huge.”

OTTplay had spoken to the actor ahead of the release of his sports drama 10 and addressed his unusual choice of films and roles. “I have never seen myself wanting to be a star, but if one of my movies does well, I’d be happy. My approach is not to be a star; it is to be an actor. And if I am meant to be a star, I believe it will happen in its own due course of time,” he said matter-of-fact, adding, “You need to have a certain personality to be able to play the lead in a massy commercial entertainer. I am not sure if I have that or if I even want that.”

Vinay adds that he is aware of the expectations that come attached with the surname, but is hopeful that audiences will appreciate that he’s doing what he loves and don’t judge him by the lineage. “Someday, I hope people will know what to expect of a Vinay Rajkumar film,” he had said.

The actor’s next release is expected to be Pepe, followed by Andondittu Kaala, in which he plays a filmmaker. Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe should be the third then, as Gramaayana, a subject the actor was quite thrilled about is stalled following the death of the producer. The team has been trying to get fresh backing for it.