Blessed to have debuted with Puri, says Ishan

As he awaits the release of ‘Rogue’, debutant Ishan is a bundle of nerves but is certain of the film’s box-office prospects. “It’s a cute love story and every frame in the film will look new,” he promises about the film, refusing to give more.

The Bengaluru-based with Telugu roots, Ishan admits that he always wanted to become a hero. “And when I finally told about it to my brother CR Manohar, he said, ‘You have the looks but looks alone can’t guarantee you success. You have to learn acting, fighting and dance.’ I took his advice seriously and associated with our production house Tanvi Films for a couple of films.

Later, I joined Satyanand Acting Institute and honed my acting skills.” He adds that he couldn’t believe his stars when his brother dropped a hint about Puri directing his first film. “After I was done with my acting course, Annaya rang me and said, ‘I’ve arranged a meeting with Puri garu.

Instead of going to Bengaluru, come to Hyderabad.’ It was a complete surprise to me but internally I was happy as Puri sir was my dream director. I met him at his office in Hyderabad and 10 minutes into the meeting, he told my brother, ‘Ishan looks promising, I’m doing a film with him.’”

Ishan is happy that despite being a busy director, Puri was always accessible for him. “After narrating the story, he told me, ‘Ishan, I will go ahead with the film only if you like the script, else I will write another one’. Coming from a superstar director like him, I couldn’t have asked for more,” he points out, adding, “He was in regular touch with me prior to the start of the filming and constantly shared what he wrote and expressed what he expected of me. Also, on sets he treated me like his son.”

He admits that he got a little panicky when Puri started the shoot with a romantic number in Krabi Island, Thailand. “Until noon we could only manage a few shots. I was fidgety because I barely interacted with girls till then and there you go, Puri sir wanted me to shoot a romantic number. Only after he explained that I was just playing a character, I kind of got comfortable,” he shrugs.

But didn’t he and his brother ever think that Puri is not the best of form of late in Tollywood? Ishan says he never felt that Puri has lost his touch. “I consider blessed and lucky to be launched by him,” he raves, “After working with him, I’m not able to imagine any other director for my launch vehicle.”

A fan of Superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth, Ishan says he would make his next move after ‘Rogue’ releases. “I did listen to some stories recently. In fact, some Telugu producers too approached me, but I’d take a call on my next post ‘Rogue’,” he reveals, adding that a Hindi version of the film too is not ruled out if the Telugu-Kannada bilingual opens on a good note this Friday.

By Nagaraj Goud