“Playing Dharma in Gayapadda Simham Gave Me Immense Joy as an Actor” – JD Chakravarthy
Actor JD Chakravarthy is all set to entertain audiences with Gayapadda Simham, alongside filmmaker-actor Tharun Bhascker and writer-director Kashyap Srinivas. The film, produced under Sapta Aswa Media Works, POV Stories, and Zee Studios, features Faria Abdullah and Manasa Chowdary as the female leads. With promotional content already generating strong buzz, the film is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on May 1.
What attracted you to the character of Dharma in Gayapadda Simham?
Whenever a character comes with a challenging arc, it excites any actor. I’ve said this before during the glimpse release, and I’ll say it again—legendary actors like Kamal Haasan have portrayed characters that no one else in the world could. However, in Gayapadda Simham, I feel I got the opportunity to play a character that even he might not have come across. That’s how unique Dharma is.
Usually, characters have different shades in the first and second halves. But what excited me here is that Dharma appears consistent throughout, yet reveals two completely different shades. You’ll understand how that works only when you watch the film. I wouldn’t say I struggled a lot for it—the magic was already in the writing.
You take your time between films. Do you spend more time selecting scripts?
I’ve never rushed into films at any point in my career. I’ve always worked at my own pace. I only take up projects when the story truly excites me.
Sometimes villains are remembered more than heroes. Will Dharma be one such character?A character becomes memorable only if the story works. In Shiva, my character became so popular that people recognized me by that name. Many roles like Bhavani, Satya, and Bheeku Mhatre stayed with audiences. But if the story fails, even strong characters won’t last. For me, one of my favorite roles is from Wife of V. Varaprasad. The character worked, but unfortunately, the film didn’t.
In Gayapadda Simham, which “lion” is the most wounded?
(Laughs) In this film, Tharun Bhascker is wounded, I am wounded, and there’s another “lion” who is also wounded. We’ll reveal who that is soon!
What makes the film unique?
The story is presented in a very fresh way. The way my character Dharma, Tharun Bhascker’s character, and another key role intersect is quite engaging and entertaining.
How was it working with director Kashyap Srinivas?
Kashyap comes with solid experience from short films and web series. I really liked his style—he’s very confident. He has crafted the film with a blend of realism and hilarious humor. Interestingly, my character is called “Brutal Dharma,” but what I do on screen will actually make audiences laugh.
You called this a “director’s film.” Why?
There are many directors involved in this project—myself, Tharun Bhascker, and Pawan Sadineni. But Kashyap executed the film exactly the way he envisioned it. None of us interfered with inputs. When I first heard the script, I found it incredibly hilarious—I was laughing throughout the narration.
When will we see a film directed by you again?
(Laughs) When I come for one film’s promotion, I don’t talk about another!
Is there an influence of Ram Gopal Varma on you?
When you work closely with someone, their influence naturally reflects on you to some extent.
Tell us about the technical team?
We have a very strong technical team. Editor Viplav has brought an interesting editing pattern, and the music director has worked in sync with the director’s vision.
Why didn’t you pursue more Hindi films after Satya?
After Satya, we got busy with production work. At the same time, I didn’t come across scripts in Hindi that truly excited me.
Has OTT impacted theatres?
OTT platforms have definitely brought in a lot of good content. Today, for a film to succeed in theatres, it must be genuinely strong. Even small films are finding success in theatres now. Audiences have many options today—if they don’t like a film, they won’t watch it anywhere, not even on OTT. But if they love it, they won’t wait—they’ll rush to theatres. That’s human nature.
Will you continue doing experimental films?
Absolutely. I love acting. I don’t categorize roles as hero or villain. If the story feels fresh and exciting, I’m always ready to be part of it.
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