On average, actor Priyadarshi Pulikonda receives two scripts a day. Writers and directors either approach him on their own or are referred to him by friends. “An actor is defined by his or her choices, and I believe it is possible to make choices that can change the course of one’s career,” he says when we speak in Hyderabad for an interview ahead of the release of his new Telugu film Darling , a relationship comedy-drama directed by Aswin Raam and co-starring Nabha Natesh.
In recent years, Priyadarshi has negotiated the vagaries of Telugu cinema like a chameleon, sometimes as a protagonist in native stories such as Mallesham and Balagam , at times in comedies such as Jathi Ratnalu and Om Bheem Bush , and sometimes as a supporting character, a recent example being Hi Nanna . “I look for stories that excite me and make me want to start working on my character,” he says. While several actors in the industry prefer to listen to a director’s narration, Priyadarshi relies more on the written word.
“A script gives me a better understanding of the writer-director’s intent, and a well-written script has a better chance of being translated on screen into a good film.” The many moods Aswin Raam approached Priyadarshi for Darling in 2019. “The script answered my questions and concerns.
I was concerned whether the story featuring a newly married woman with a split personality would present a stereotyped notion of women and their many mood swings. Aswin had approached .
