Little did Rahul Haridas know that his overnight fame as Tyson in Happy Days would stay afresh even after nine years.
“People know me more as Tyson than Rahul. As much as I am proud of the film and the role, I think it’s high time I break out of the mould. I understand that when the first film does well, the particular character becomes an identity, more so if you are a complete outsider in the industry. Yes, the role gave me popularity and I think it is time to move on,” he says.
But despite the initial success, things didn’t work out as planned. “Success and failure aren’t really in our hands. I started off at 18 and didn’t have a guide. There have been ups and downs; a couple of films got delayed and another one got cancelled. But today, I am in a great phase. My upcoming film Venkatapuram is something I am really looking forward to.”
Interestingly, the film’s first look, that was released recently, has garnered a lot of good buzz. It is learnt that Rahul went through a transformation for the film as well.
“When my films didn’t work out, I was very frustrated. I then did a lot of introspection which helped me reach the place I am in right now. It was after scouting nearly 30 scripts that I came across this film, which excited me a lot.
“The producer Shreyas Srinivas and I have been great friends and he wanted to make a film with me. For the first time in my career, I had the luxury of choosing a film. This is an investigative crime-thriller based out of Venkatapuram in Vizag.
“The director Venu Madikanti and I spent nearly 18 months working on the script. I have given myself wholly to the movie, which, I believe, will turn out well,” he explains.
So, is this a comeback for him? “I’d call it a relaunch. As an actor, my career will have two phases — before Venkatapuram and after Venkatapuram. From now on, I will be way more careful with the films I do. Right now, I am excited about this film,” he says.
