There’s a certain swag in playing a grey role: Krishna

Darling Krishna has long lived up to his nickname, winning hearts with his lover-boy charm. Now, he’s stepping away from that image to embrace a darker, more intense side. The actor is now set to explore a darker, edgier side in his next, Brat. “There’s an element of cricket and betting in the story. And for the first time, I’m playing a character with shades of grey, I’m not the nice guy. There’s a certain swag in playing a grey character; you don’t have to be polite or restrained. The atti tude just comes naturally,” he grins. The film also marks Krishna’s reunion with Shashank after Kousalya Supraja Rama. ‘I LOOK AT FILMS AS A WHOLE, IF THE STORY WORKS, ALL THINGS ELSE FALLS INTO PLACE’Krishna says he chooses projects based on the story, not just his character. “It’s never only about the role for me. I look at the film as a whole, whether it’s en tertaining, emotional, or engaging. If the story works, everything else falls into place. Being a di rector myself, I understand how important the overall vision is. Good films never fail—wheth er in Kannada or any language. If a film is tru ly good, word of mouth will bring people to theatres,” he says. ‘BRAT WILL BE A FAST-PACED ENTERTAINER’Directed by Shashank, Brat is an action-crime thriller that delves into ambition, greed and the hunger to rise above one’s circumstances. “My character comes from a middle-class background. His father is a police constable, but he wants a luxurious life, no matter what it takes,” says Krishna. Calling Brat a fast-paced entertainer with music by Arjun Janya, he adds, “The screenplay, especially the second half, will thrill audiences. It’s got action, emotion and attitude, just like its lead character.” A striking moment from the film shows Krishna’s character watching a dog being chauffeured in a luxury car. “When I was a student in Bengaluru, I’d see people in big cars and think, ‘When will we live like that?’” he recalls. “It’s envy, but also ambition— the desire to move up in life.”‘WATCHING MY WIFE GO THROUGH CHILDBIRTH AND RAISE OUR CHILD HAS CHANGED HOW I SEE LIFE’Now a father, Krishna admits that parenthood has subtly changed his creative lens. “Maybe not so much as an actor, but as a director. It has changed how I see life. When you see your wife go through childbirth and raise a child, your perspective deepens,” he tells us. Though busy with work, Krishna says he’s enjoying fatherhood. “Now that I’m wrapping up work, I’m getting to enjoy more moments with my baby,” he says.