Hyderabad
September 19, 2008

What are the qualifications to become a hero? He should have a filmy-background or a cash-party dad. The validity of the yardstick is unquestionable. But, here’s a guy not to question it. He simply broke the economical dimension of hero-making. Kodali Murali Krishna alias Muralikrishna, the lucky hero of Charm-Queen Bhumika in Mallepuvvu speaks about the ugly experiences he came across in his nameless journey in Tollywood for about a decade. Coming from Nizamabad (schooling), Gangavati in Karnataka (as a paralytic farmer’s son) and Vijayawada (in search of a career), Murali Krishna, looking manly and humble, says God alone helped him through Ramesh Varma (writer of Mallepuvvu). “I came to Hyderabad to become a hero. But, I saw big heroes and rich young heroes. To approach them, my dress was gaudy. I didn’t have money to buy a good pair. Later, I wanted just to become a small actor. That also turned impossible for several years till I was made a smalltime villain in Oka Oorilo. Now, I am a hero, co-starring none other than Bhumika. Doesn’t it sound incredible? But, you have to accept it.” In an exclusive interview to Idlebrain, he pours out his experiences as a hard struggler. Excerpts:

How about your entry into Tollywood?
It all happened in 1999 when arrived in Hyderabad to become a hero. It was like directly dropping from the moon that I checked into Tollywood. But I had to make an eternal wait for about a decade. Unable to make a retreat, I suffered the ruthless callousness of many a people. It is my fault that I have come here. I don’t have any right to blame anyone. I even took training in a film institute here (Hyderabad). Later, I realized – seeing big heroes and rich young heroes – that mine was a very big dream and what a big fool I was! My dad was a paralytic patient. I come from a very lower middle class family. With no money in my pocket, and not to trouble my parents, I decided to give a fight here. In 2005, I got the opportunity to work as a smalltime villain in Oka Oorilo. It was like rising from the grave. After several years again I got this wonderful opportunity. God took the avatar of Ramesh Varma to make me a hero.

What about your studies?
I just discontinued my B.Com. I had no money to pursue education.

Coming from nowhere, you danced with Bhumika. How did you feel?
(Controls his laughter) Yes. Who am I? What is the stature of Bhumika? It is a big dream in real life. I met Bhumika garu directly on the sets. That too over a song sequence. I forgot all my rehearsals seeing her. How can I dance with her? She looked at me seriously. Called me and said that she could understand my nervousness. Like a true friend, she stood by me … all through the shoot. Such a genuine human being, she treated me like a big hero and even instructed her personal makeup man to take care of me. Soon, she made me feel free. I shall be grateful to her for the whole of my lifetime.

Did she give you any suggestion?
Yes. It is like this: See, Murali, when you are feeling tense working with a big heroine, just you forget about yourself. The camera is on. You imagine a girl whom you like most. And dance. You will click.

So, how many producers and directors did you meet to become a hero?
To be frank, I met almost all of them. Say 90%. For the last ten years.

Seeing big heroes and rich young stars, did you ever feel of going back?
Yes. But, my economic conditions were so bad. I had no guts to get back. Somehow, I should struggle. Though I had the chance to mingle with rich young heroes, I didn’t do. If they take me with them for parties ten times, at least I should spend some bucks from my pocket once. I had no money to support even my minimum bare needs. I knew if I get associated with them, definitely I will be forgetting my goal. We go to Ramoji Film City. Ramoji Rao garu built that big studio. Their children enjoy it. Likewise, big heroes and big producers make an empire. Their children enjoy. If we dream of building an RFC or making a big hero of ourselves, it is not possible in reality. I knew that practically. But, I believe in pursuit, whether we achieve it or not.

Tell us your experiences on the sets of Mallepuvvu?
See. The entire film world is false, but for a very few people. For a new comer like me, it will be a nightmare to pass each passing day on the sets. The seniors, artistes or technicians, come and tell all sorts of nonsense. Not all, but some. They say that they worked big heroes and directors. Most often, they make people like me feel inferior to them. It is not my personal feeling. This is hundred percent a fact. Instead of encouraging us, they discourage us to the maximum level. But, the case will be different for new comers, if they are from the class – filmy background or rich. But, thanks to Samudra garu, everybody treated me well. He gave the technicians and artistes’ special instructions not to harass me or play fun with me.

How working with your first director (as hero)?
I just can’t believe myself. Samudra garu belongs to the rare breed of directors, who make new comers like me have their dignity on the sets. He made me confident, fully confident. I never saw him angry. He respects artistes and that is his biggest and noble trait.

Are you the hero of Ramesh Varma’s Galipatam?
Just discussions are going on. I hope I could. I await the result of Mallepuvvu. I think there is not much from my side to say further. I think I told you the maximum.

More chitchats
• Dr. Mithra
• Chiranjeevi
• Ram Gopal Varma about Phoonk
• Singer Venu
• Yasho Sagar
• Kalyani Malik
• Seenu Vytla about Ready 1
• Seenu Vytla about Ready
• Krish
• Ravi C Kumar
• Meghha Burman (heroine)
• Venkat (trainer)
• Kalidasu producers
• Venkat Kuchipudi
• Kaveri Jha
• Chandra Siddhard (Idi Sangathi)
• Sumanth (Pourudu)
• Raja
• Raaj Aaditya
• Charmme
• K Aparna
• Vishnu (Krishnarjuna)
• Dasarath (Swagatam)
• D Supriya (Pourudu)
• MS Raju (Vaana)
• YVS Chowdary (Okka Magaadu)
• Neelakanta (Mr. Medhavi)
• Sonia (Happy Days)
• Raja
• Venkatesh
• Ravi Babu
• Lagadapati Sridhar
• Prabhas
• Raahul
• Venkatesh
• Sawariya couple
• Puri Jagan
• Uday Kiran
• Anushka
• Haranadh Policherla
• Ravi Teja on Dubai Seenu
• Seenu Vytla on Dubai Seenu
• YVS Chowdary on NTR
• Manchu Manoj
• Sunil
• VN Aditya
• Gopichand
• MS Raju
• Visakha Singh
• Sumanth
• Vedika
• Lawrence
• Raja Sekhar
• Sumanth 4
• Satish Thati
• Krishnam Raju
• Shabana Azmi
• Maniratnam
• Cherry
• Farzana
• Mohan Goteti
• Ravi Varma
• Sumanth
• Reema Sen
• Vishal
• Nayana Tara
• Nagarjuna
• RK (Hyderabad Nawabs)
• Mohit Ahlawat
• Sumanth 3
• Dr. Haranath Policherla
• Gangaraju Gunnam
• Ajay
• Dhanush
• Keeravani
• Rama Rajamouli
• Anushka
• Nitin
• Meera Chopra
• Ileana
• Dil Raju 2
• Mahesh Babu 3
• Sharvanand
• Kalyani Malik
• Sumanth 2
• Sekhar Kammula 2
• KM Radha Krishnan
• D Rama Naidu
• MS Raju
• Nagarjuna
• Puri Jagan
• Jayasudha
• Anil Krishna
• Allu Arjun
• Anthony
• Krishnam Raju
• Allari Ravi Babu
• Devanand
• Ramana Gogula
• YVS Chowdary
• Brahmanandam
• Sekhar Kammula
• Madhu Sharma
• KS Rama Rao 2
• Sumanth
• Srihari
• Mohan Babu 2
• Sania Mirza
• Suresh Kondeti
• KV Ramana IAS
• Raja
• Surya
• Vikram 2
• Srikanth Chinnamatur
• Prabhas 2
• Satya Krishnanan
• Prabhas 1
• MRV Prasad
• PG Vinda
• Jaya
• Devi Sri Prasad
• AM Ratnam 2
• Sonu Sood
• Ram Gopal Varma 3
• Mahesh Babu 2
• Shankar
• Vikram 1
• Mohan Babu 1
• KS Rama Rao 1
• Dil Raju
• Manyam Ramesh
• Tarun
• Raghu Babu
• Krishna Vamsi
• Posani Krishna Murali
• AS Ravi Kumar Chowdary
• Sravanthi Ravi Kishore
• MS Raju
• AM Ratnam
• Nagarjuna
• Ram Gopal Varma 2
• SS Rajamouli
• Venkatesh
• Mahesh Babu
• Ram Gopal Varma
• Vanisri