Meet the other two boys of Uppu Huli Khara

Shashi gives up TV for Imran
Shashi Devraj, who debuts in Uppu Huli Khara (UHK), didn’t think he would get to see himself on the big screen. “My father is a driver and mom used to work in a garment factory. My parents hoped that having a degree would help me live better than they did. So, even though I was not inclined towards it, I got an engineering degree, while honing my skill as an actor with a theatre troupe, Kala Gangothri.That opened doors into television for me, where I first did a small role in Mahabharata, after which I got to play the lead on the show, Om Shakti Om Shanti,” says Shashi.
The call to audition for UHK came when Shashi was busy with back-to-back shooting schedules for his serial, which often kept him busy till midnight. “After keeping Imran (Sardhariya) sir hanging for a few days because of my serial commitment, I finally met him around 3 am one day. He narrated the story and told me about my character; I was floored and excited that he had the confidence to entrust me with this role,” says the young actor.
In the film, he plays a self-made guy, who teaches concepts of hygiene to women in the neighbourhood. “He is also career–oriented and avoids falling in love to stay on his course. But what happens when his plans derail, along with that of the other two heroes, forms the rest of the story,” he signs off.
From choreographer to lead hero
Acting was not on Dhanu DJ’s scheme of things, as he has been an assistant choreographer for years, and has worked with big names in the industry. But when the opportunity to play a role in Uppu Huli Khara came along, he decided to grab it and do his best. “I have been a dancer and assistant to choreographers from a very young age. My father is a tailor, who used inspirations from songs for his designs. I used to watch a lot of films with him when I was young and that is where my interest in movies and dancing began. For a while, I used to practice moves at my dad’s shop, until I realized that I need formal training to make a career out of it,” says Dhanu.
He then landed at dance master Vijaykumar’s studio and trained under him for six years, during which time Dhanu also got the opportunity to assist on movies. “My first film with Imran was Rama Shama Bhama and on the very first day on set he showed some of the opening moves. Once he realized that I could handle it, he left me in charge and headed off for a meeting. I was taken aback at first, but it also showed the confidence he had in my talent. There has been no looking back since, and I have worked on all of Imran’s projects since,” says Dhanu.
The role in UHK, meanwhile, happened after the team failed to finalize an actor for it and Imran wondered if Dhanu could do it. “I play a street-smart boy from the slums, who falls in love with a foreigner who is in India to learn yoga,” he says.