Venkatesh Maha opens up on his acting tryst, ahead of Disney+ Hotstar Telugu anthology ‘Anger Tales’

Actor and director Venkatesh Maha will be seen in the new Telugu web series ‘Anger Tales’
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Anger Tales, the Telugu anthology that will stream on Disney+ Hotstar on March 9, stars two directors-turned-actors — Venkatesh Maha and Tharun Bhascker. The anthology directed by Prabhala Tilak, who co-wrote the series with Karthikeya Karedla, will present four stories bound by the theme of rebellion. While Tharun has made his presence felt as an actor and television host, Venkatesh Maha was seen in brief roles until director Vivek Athreya cast him as Nazriya Fahadh’s character’s suitor in Ante Sundaraniki. “Till date, a lot of people are angry with my character, Joseph, and express it on social media. Joseph is the perfect guy in the imperfect world of Ante Sundaraniki that is filled with flawed characters, so he is hated,” says Maha, at his office in Hyderabad.

Maha’s debut film as a writer and director, Care of Kancharapalem, followed by Uma Maheshwara Ugra Roopasya (UMUR), the Telugu adaptation of the Malayalam film Maheshinte Prathikaram, established him as a director with immense potential. But few know that Maha had initially set out to Hyderabad from his hometown, Vijayawada, to become an actor.

“I had an innate interest in storytelling and I used to write lyrics as well. But I wanted to be an actor. I used to attend several auditions; my acting skills would be appreciated but I would never land a significant role,” Maha recalls.

As an outsider slugging it out in the Krishna Nagar locality of Hyderabad, which is the hub for movie aspirants, he says it was a tall order to audition for big production houses. “I think the casting process is still disorganised and can do with some streamlining. Some wonderful aspiring actors who may not like going from one studio to another with portfolios usually give up on their aspirations soon.”

He states wryly that an acting aspirant is expected to have a portfolio of good images, and appear groomed and fit while not earning much. “You have to look good for people to notice you, but how do you do that without earning?”

Maha took up odd jobs, from being a junior artiste to working as a spot boy. At a short film contest, he went ahead and narrated a story. His story was selected, and Radhika Lavu who was an executive producer for the project, asked him to direct it. He also acted in a small role in that short Telugu comedy Vedhava Mohamatam. Destiny, he says, made him a director.

Maha did a blink-and-miss cameo in Care of Kancharapalem and in UMUR, when a junior artiste didn’t turn up; he stepped in because “the size of the clothes fit me, and I wanted to get the job done.”

Venkatesh Maha
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

One thing led to another. His former roommate, Santo Mohan Veeranki, asked him to enact a small part in his debut directorial film, Stand Up Rahul. “I had cast him in a brief part in UMUR and then he asked me to chip in for Stand up Rahul.” Maha appeared as a stand-up comic. “Raj Tharun (the film’s lead), Santo and I attended open-mic events. My initial attempts at stand-up comedy were disasters; then Hriday Ranjan (stand-up comic and film critic) gave us suggestions.” His breakthrough role came in Ante Sundaraniki. When acting offers come his way, Maha has a few dos and don’ts. “I don’t want to be a part of projects that disrespect a gender or a social class. Ante Sundaraniki was sensitively written and I agreed.”

Maha mentions with a tinge of surprise that Anger Tales was offered to him even before the release of Stand Up Rahul and Ante Sundaraniki. “I don’t know what they saw in me back then.” Maha had liked Prabhala Tilak’s short film Kalakarudu that starred Suhas and was produced by Chai Bisket. So he was confident that Anger Tales would also be executed well. “The anger that my character, Ranga, has would be similar to what many Telugu audiences would have while watching movies,” is all that he reveals. The series also stars Suhas, Ravindra Vijay, Bindu Madhavi, Phani Acharya and Madonna Sebastian.

Maha’s next film as a director is in the works and he will also be acting in a full-fledged role in one of his future productions.