Was never under pressure to look a certain way: Suhas

In an industry where looks matter, here’s someone who has defied all odds! Suhas, who started his journey by making short videos and short films, caught the eye of talent hunters and became part of a National Award film (Color Photo). His latest movie, Writer Padmabhushan, directed by Shanmukha Prasanth, has become a runaway success at the box office, making the actor the man of the hour.

“Honestly, it’s overwhelming and incredible to see so much love coming in,” says Suhas. “When I heard the script, I enjoyed it like an audience would. My eyes were moist when I heard the climax. So I instantly felt the emotion and agreed to do the film.”

Suhas appreciates Writer Padmabhushan makers Anurag Reddy and Sharath Chandra for backing such a unique script. “I have known them for a long time and worked with them earlier for several short films,” he says.

Interestingly, Suhas, who was born in Vijayawada, had not always wanted to become an actor. It was only when he realised that he was good in dramatics while in college that he considered making a career in films, and relocated to Hyderabad in 2013. “I gave several auditions, did ad commercials, but nothing worked out. I decided to make my own videos. They started going viral.  And buoyed by the response, I went on to make over 100 short films,” recalls Suhas, adding that that was when he got recognition.

Soon, Suhas got brief roles in several Telugu films. However, it was with Color Photo in which he played the lead role that he shot to prominence. The film won a National Award for ‘Best Feature Film in Telugu’. Subsequently, his role with grey shades in the Adivi Sesh-starrer HIT 2 was a revelation. And with Writer Padmabhushan, Suhas has become a household name.

“It’s been a decade-long journey, I did not realise that I had completed 10 years. It was a step-by-step process, and every success led to another. I was never in a hurry but did films that came my way,” explains the actor, who says he loves doing different roles to display his versatility.

But showbiz is a glamour industry that is all about looks. Wasn’t he under pressure to look a certain way? Suhas replies that he always believed in storytelling, and being part of a good script. “I was never under pressure to look a certain way until I did Color Photo. Since I played the protagonist for the first time in that film, I was apprehensive whether the audience would accept me in the part. But the film became a super hit,” asserts the actor, adding that getting a National Award for the film was the ‘biggest validation.’