Priyadarshi: I was concerned that ‘Darling’ should not come across as sexist

Actor Priyadarshi Pulikonda discusses his new Telugu film ‘Darling’, career choices, script preferences, and upcoming projects

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.”  

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 the story with sensitivity, and I was convinced that the film would not be misogynistic or sexist. I look at Darling as a story of two people in love and one of them having a disorder.”

Darling is promoted as a relationship comedy, and a scene in the trailer also refers to the split personality traits explored in Aparichitudu (the Telugu dub of Tamil film Anniyan), to hilarious effect. Priyadarshi describes the humour in Darling as a dark comedy where the suffering of the characters leads to fun moments for the audience.

Aswin Raam had worked as a creative director for the Sundeep Kishan starrer A1 Express, and Priyadarshi knew that he was adept at people management, apart from the craft of filmmaking. Pre-pandemic, he reminisces that finding a producer who would invest six to seven crore in the film was tough. Despite Mallesham, Priyadarshi had not yet cemented himself as a bankable star. Post-Balagam, things took a turn. Aswin, who had in the meantime directed the Tamil film Anbarivu, approached a few producers. Niranjan Reddy, producer of HanuMan, reposed faith in the story and came forward to produce Darling.

Before going on the floor, Aswin roped in acting facilitator Anandsami to do a workshop for the principal actors. While Priyadarshi’s flair for comedy and rapport with co-stars have been proven time and again, it was a different space for Nabha. The workshop was essential to bring the two actors, from different schools of thought, on a common platform. “It was good to go back to school with a book and pen,” laughs Priyadarshi. Over the next few days, Anandsami helped the actors deconstruct the film and approach their characters from a new perspective. “We sometimes fall back on stock expressions, and this was a good exercise to break free from that possibility. Anand believes in M.S. Dhoni’s approach that when things get tough, it is best to stick to the basics.”