I wasn’t jobless these past 9 months:Murali

Sri Murali hasn’t been seen on screens for a while now. But the actor is optimistic that his forthcoming films will give a new twist to his career.

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BACK ON TRACK: Murali. (TOI Photo)While most actors may worry themselves sick if they don��t have a release for nine months, Sri Murali isn��t hassled by his long absence from celluloid. ��I��m aware that there��s been a lot of talk regarding my break, but I��m not perturbed.
I wasn��t jobless these past nine months. Offers kept coming and I missed some good films.But I have no regrets because I was busy with family commitments and managing our production house,�� says Murali.
And it��s not like he was hankering after success. ��It��s not that I haven��t had any hit films in my career. I��ve tasted success at a very young age. My debut Chandrachakori ran for 600 days and Kanti got me the State award for the best actor. My subsequent films haven��t been appealing but that��s how it works in showbiz,�� says the actor.
But he has plenty to look forward to this year, including AMR Ramesh��s Minchina Ota with brother Vijay Raghavendra, Sihi Gaali for a Telugu production house, and another untitled flick for Siva Mani. ��At the risk of sounding pompous, even during my absence there were producers who waited for me for six months to sign me for their films. I found it really touching,�� he says.

Currently, he��s elated about his next flick, Minchina Ota. ��When I signed the film, I was growing my hair and waiting for a script that would suit that image. And it was AMR Ramesh��s script that compelled me to sign it. We tried out nine different hairstyles until we zeroed in on the final look. Minchina Ota propelled my confidence to another level because I did all the stunts, including one in which I rammed my car into a running train,�� explains Murali.

He quickly clarifies that this film isn��t a remake of the Shanker Nag- and Anant Nag-starrer, Minchina Ota �� No similarities except the title, which we retained for sentimental reasons. The original Minchina Ota starred both the Nag brothers and since both my brother Vijay Raghavendra and I star in this flick, we thought the title was apt.��
But it was working with brother Vijay that is the highlight of Minchina Ota. ��Anna is a sweetheart and was always worrying about me on the sets. And when I was doing my stunts, he��d stand behind the camera and wince. Sometimes, he��d even tell the director to cancel the shot because he felt it didn��t look good. That��s how protective he is about me,�� says the actor.
There��s something else that��s keeping the actor busy this season: Murali is all set to tie the knot with long-time girlfriend Vidya on May 11. ��I��m really happy and she��s my biggest strength besides my parents,�� he says. But he��s off only for a month after which the arc lights beckon again.

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