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I took three days to prep for my role in ‘Keedaa Cola’: Chaitanya Rao

Chaitanya Rao shares his experience of playing a disabled character named Vastu who suffers from Tourette Syndrome.

Published Oct 27, 2023 | 6:53 PM ⚊UpdatedOct 31, 2023 | 5:02 PM

Actor Chaitanya Rao. (chaitanyaraomadadi/ Instagram)

Chaitanya Rao Madadi made his presence felt in Tollywood with the YouTube series 30 Weds 21 (2021-2022). Even his recent OTT release Annapurna Photo Studio (2023) earned him reasonable praise from audiences.

Now, the actor is eager to make a big stride with Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam‘s forthcoming directorial Keedaa Cola.

During an interaction with the media in Hyderabad on Friday, 27 October, Chaitanya Rao shared his experience of playing a disabled character named Vastu who suffers from Tourette syndrome.

Here are the excerpts:

On his role — Vastu

Chaitanya Rao interacting with the media in Hyderabad. (chaitanyaraomadadi/ Instagram)

When asked about his reaction after hearing about his character in Keedaa Cola, Chaitanya Rao quipped, “I had this desire to work with a filmmaker like Tharn Bhascker Dassyam, when he first made a short film titled Sainma (2015). I’ve been keeping a note on his Instagram updates, so I fumbled upon Keeda Cola.”

So, how did he land the role? “I didn’t get a call from him but through his producer. I didn’t know which character I was playing. After the auditions, we had a five-minute discussion. Then, I was told to play Vastu.”

The actor said Vastu suffers from Tourette Syndrome — a disorder that involves repetitive movements or unwanted sounds similar to that of Rani Mukherjee in Hichki (2018). He took three days to prepare for the role.

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Chaitanya Rao recalled, “It was not easy to bring stammered words. I had to constantly bring twitching movements (tics) in the middle of the sentence. When I finally gave the audition after three days, Tharun immediately introduced me to his team saying, ‘We found Vastu’. That was the happiest moment!”

A poster of ‘Keedaa Cola’. (chaitanyaraomadadi/ Instagram)

The actor says he hasn’t heard of the name Vastu ever. “I know about Vastu — the traditional Indian system of architecture. But I never heard the name of a person ‘Vastu’.”

He said was more of a metaphorical aspect to him.

“His (the character’s) actual name is Vastav. He can’t properly pronounce long words, so he shortens them according to his comfort. Hence, he is called Vastu. The idea behind designing a character named Vastu is to convey a message that life has so much to offer,” Chaitanya Rao felt.

He added, “Individuals who suffer from this sort of physical disability can’t really come out of it. Life doesn’t end there; you can still overcome all and stand and win against all the odds. Keedaa Cola is going to be wacky.”

Tharun Bhascker’s characters

Chaitanya Rao says he would do any character that he is offered from the film. “I can do any character in Tharun Bhascker’s films because of the way they are designed.”

The actor elaborated further, “They evoke a sense of belongingness. The conversations are so realistic in his films, that’s the beauty. Fortunately, my style of acting looks realistic to me.”

He also cited an example. “If you observe the 30 Weds 21 series or the latest OTT releases, I didn’t try to over-dramatise emotions. I try to give my best. When Tharun gave a brief idea about the character, I tried to give a realistic touch to my performance and he is happy about it.”

Get ready to meet the gang of misfits from the world of #KeedaaCola 🪳#KeedaaColaTeaser @ 1:50PM TODAY! 🕶️
Appati varaku Swaasa Meedha Dhyaasa!@VGSainma @VivekSudhanshuK @sripadnandiraj @UpendraVg @Mesaikrishna @KaushikNanduri #KeedaaColaENEParty pic.twitter.com/3gsZOwTTpr

— Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam (@TharunBhasckerD) June 28, 2023

Likes content-driven films

Chaitanya Rao in ’30 weds 21′. (chaitanyaraomadadi/ Instagram)

Chaitanya Rao opines that the beauty of Tharun Bhascker’s filmmaking lies in the fact that there is no line drawn between a villain and a protagonist.

“That’s the beauty of his movies. They are all story-driven. If one may promise to state that I will make a film making me as a protagonist. At the end of the day, it might not work commercially.”

He says he likes to do content-driven films because all the characters in the story get elevated by the content.

“I am inclined to do content-oriented flicks. You don’t have to become a hero or a villain to get stardom. You just have to be part of Tharun Bhascker’s film, and you are done for the day. He makes acting easy for everyone,” he pointed out.

Also Read: Otta review: Resul Pookutty makes an impressive directorial debut

**‘Brahmanandam garu — a living legend’**

Chaitanya Rao says senior comedian Brahmanandam is a living legend in every possible way. The veteran actor played the role of his grandfather in Keedaa Cola.

“Bramhanandam is a walking university. It was a learning experience to share the screen with an experienced and senior artiste like him. He was friendly with everyone on the sets,” he recollected.

“Brahmanandam would share his real-life experiences along with the craft of acting. Rather than a proud feeling, it was a great learning experience for me working with Brahmanandam garu,” the actor signed off.