SRK plays a stone-hearted cop

Just over a month ago, Kannada actor Shivarajkumar began the new year with Killing Veerappan, in which he played a cop. This week, he follows that up with yet another role of a police officer, albeit with the CID, which is a first for him, in Shivalinga. The similarity, though, ends with the fact that he has played cop in back-to-back films. 'Killing Veerappan was based on real events, whereas Shivalinga is pure fiction.This is a commercial thriller, which has a mix of all the right emotions, to ensure that my character connects with people of all age groups,' says the actor.
His character, adds Shivarajkumar, has two very distinct sides to him. 'On one hand, here's a man who is very positive about life, and spreads this positivity among everyone around him. On the other, he is this strict and rigid cop, who is stone-hearted when it comes to his work, especially investigations. It is this nature of his that embodies the film's title, Shivalinga,' explains the actor. It is not often, though, that Shivarajkumar plays a police officer, considering that a majority of his characters have him as the common man who rises to the occasion and saves the day. 'As an actor, you need to be able to slip into any character and portray him in the most effective manner, by which audiences can relate to him. This includes not just the look of the character, but also how he behaves in different situations based on the profession he has. Even with cinematic liberties, I think I have been able to do that, and I hope that continues with Shivalinga,' says Shivarajkumar, adding that a character trait to look forward to in the film is his expressions. 'A lot of the time, he is silent and brooding, doing all the talking through his eyes,' he explains . As is with all Shivarajkumar films, this one too puts emphasis on family sentiments. 'P Vasu's style of storytelling, epecially with investigative thrillers, is different, and audiences will definitely enjoy those portions, as they make for interesting viewing. But there is a love story too and the relationship between my character and his wife is an important part of the tale,' he says.