Kerintha was an acting school for me: Viswant Duddumpudi

“I want to become an actor,” was what Viswant Duddumpudi always told his friends while growing up. Little did he know that his dream would someday come true.

After being appreciated for his role as Sid in Dil Raju’s Kerintha, Viswant has now bagged a lead role in Chandra Sekhar Yeleti’s Manamanta starring Mohanlal and Gautami.

It was Mahesh Babu and his movies that inspired him to take up acting and Viswant never missed his movies on the first day. “I was once on my way to Goa when I realised that Mahesh Babu’s new film was releasing the same day. I got down from the bus, watched the movie and only then headed to Goa. I have been a huge fan and grew up watching his movies.”

Viswant was still studying in the US when he sent his photos and later video reels for Kerintha though he did not have any formal training in acting. “It was surprising when I got a call from Dil Raju’s office. They waited for a few months till I completed my studies and came back to India,” he says adding, “Now, people recognise me and often ask me to play the guitar for them. Kerintha was an acting school for me.”

After the film, Viswant got a lot of offers but he waited for that one good script.

“I waited four to five months for a good film. One day I got a call from director Chandra Sekhar. After we met, he said I was on board and  he said, ‘let’s start the movie’.”

Talking about the bilingual, which is being shot in Hyderabad and is being produced by Sai Korrapati, and about working with Mohanlal and Gautami, Viswant says, “When I met Mohanlal, he introduced himself. I thought, who doesn’t know him and yet he feels the need to introduce himself. Gautami garu gave out a lot of suggestions that helped me,” he says.

After bagging roles with two big production houses, Viswant is currently in talks for a film with Suresh Productions and if things go well, the 22-year-old will start shooting from next year.