With Royal, I'm Not Just Back—I'm Here To Stay

The actor talks about his sophomore film, working with director Dinakar Thoogudeepa, shares his passion for acting and why he has no Plan B for his career

- CE FEATURES

Five years have passed since Kiss released, and now actor Virat returns to the silver screen with Dinakar Thoogudeepa's Royal. It's been a long wait, but he assures that his passion for acting remains strong. "Once a film is out, I might take a month's break, but my drive to get back to my next project never fades," Virat confesses. "The gap wasn't my choice, though. It just happened. I did work on a couple of projects post-Kiss, but unfortunately, they didn't take off. Then Jayanna called, supported me, and Dinakar extended his hand to direct me."

For the audience, Virat is the actor they see on screen, but for him, acting is just the beginning. "I don't have a Plan B. This has always been my dream. Even when I left my home, I knew I had only one path to follow. Despite the breakdowns, the hits, the flops, my resolve never changed. I want to stay here. It's a tough journey, especially with the competition today, but I'm not giving up."

Virat speaks candidly about the challenges of being an actor in today's world. "There's no easy way in any career," he says, his voice steady with conviction. As for Royal, Virat says he wants to connect with many people as he can. Leaving home to be part of this world, he's learned a lot about life. He knows that if they don't put in the best work, from start to finish, the film will fail the audience. A winning team means everything. When producers like Jayanna and Bhogendra invest their money in him, and when a director like Dinakar invests his creativity and time, he has to prove them right. This is his second film, and he needs to deliver. Only then can he dream of the next project.