Nalgonda lad Prashant Karthi was inclined towards acting since his childhood. From his acting stint in school and college to transforming into one of the enthusiastic supporting actors of Telugu cinema, Prashant has come a long way. Known for his appearances in Dhruva (2016), Veera Bhoga Vasantha Rayalu (2018), and Check (2021), Prashant is a bundle of nerves and energy as he awaits the release of his latest movie Konda. A biopic on the politician couple Konda Murali and Konda Surekha, the Ram Gopal Varma directorial will see him reprising the role of late People’s War senior leader Polam Sudarshan Reddy alias RK.
“Konda Murali anna introduced me to RGV garu and asked if he had a role in mind for me in Konda. I gave the look test and was selected for RK’s role. I was thrilled beyond words because RK was a powerful leader, who had a huge influence on Murali anna’s life. My friends and family, too, were so happy to see me essay a powerful role,” begins Prashanth.
It took Prashant a little over three months to look the part. “I have heard a lot of stories about RK, but never met him in person. I went to Warangal, interacted with his wife Bharatakka, friends, and acquaintances, and gathered information available in the public domain. I tried to understand his body language, attitude, and mannerisms and watched his videos to understand his personality and traits. A team of technicians was specially flown from Mumbai to design my look. The rawness and intensity this role carries still stays with me and I am still trying to detach from this character,” he avers.
Opening up on the challenges of playing the character, Prashant says, “It is no secret that Naxals lived in the forest and they went hungry for days while moving from one place to another. So they tend to look battle-scarred, weather-beaten, emotionless, and lean. To attain that look, I stopped eating, followed intermittent fasting, and shed six kilos. It was quite difficult to maintain this routine for months. Also, RK was a man of revolutionary thoughts and philosophy. He expressed his innermost thoughts through poems and delivering these lines with intensity was equally challenging. Nevertheless, it was a real character, and playing such roles would take the actor in me closer to the audience.”
Interestingly, the lanky lad bears an uncanny resemblance to actor Vishal. “A lot of people asked me if I am related to Vishal. Even (actor) Ravi Teja garu once thought I am Vishal’s brother. I am not related to Vishal garu in any way and haven’t met him either. But it gives me immense joy if people call me Jr Vishal,” shares Prashant.
Asked if he had a dream role, the young actor says, “I want to be a part of meaningful cinema and love playing challenging roles. I want to be known as a versatile actor. I know that it is not easy, but with hard work and passion, I want to reach great heights.”
Up next, Prashant is gearing up to play a full-length villain in a high-voltage action entertainer. “I am playing a Rayalaseema-based faction leader, who is twice my age. Yet again, it’s a powerful role and the film will present me in a new look all over again,” signs off Prashant.