Collaboration is the future of filmmaking: Raghu Raja Nanda

At 25, Hoskote-based artiste Raghu Raja Nanda is set to make his Sandalwood debut with Rona — his first outing as both lead actor and producer. ‘We didn’t become fans of our own success. If you cling to one success, you stop growing’ Raj B Shetty believes cinema should unsettle, delight and surprise. It’s this restlessness that has shaped his journey from Ondu Motteya Kathe to Su from So and beyond... P4 Raghu’s interest in performance began early. “In school and college, I was al ways the first to sign up for skits, plays, dance — anything,” he recalls.

That instinct led him to professional theatre in 2019. Raghu has performed in over 200 plays across India with his troupe Ranga Vijaya, and he credits the stage for shaping his craft. “Theatre taught me discipline, dialogue control, and emotional truth. I have also done smaller film roles, which were stepping stones, each one preparing me to take on this lead role with confidence,” he tells us.

Now, Raghu is ready for a meaningful screen career. “Anyone can become a super star, but I aim to bring the kind of films the Kannada audience deserves. I want every performance to justify their faith in Kanna da movies and the money they spend on tickets. Yes, I want love and recognition, but my focus is currently on choosing the right scripts,” he says. Taking on production, he explains, “I didn’t want someone else to bear the full risk of believing in me. Many of my friends from Hoskote are part of this pro ject. We believe collaboration is stronger than chasing big banners. Why run after op portunities when we can simply create them ourselves?”