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'Award is like a GIFT FROM DAD'
... says Puneet Rajkumar, who bagged his second ,
Winning the S t at e Award for Best Actor is not new to the Power Star. He's won it in the past for Milana and yet again this year for Prithvi. But as news of the award came in, the actor preferred to thank director Jacob Verghese first for offering him the film. "It's his vision. And I reciprocated by winning an award for his pet project," he says. Ask Puneet if he knew about Prithvi being in the running for an award and the actor brushes it off saying that he doesn't collect information about whether his films are being nominated or if they will win. "So it came as a surprise when producer Kumar called me with the news. Satya Hegde, who won the award for Best Cinematography, was with me at the time as we're working on the same film, and we wished each other," says Puneet.
Prithvi was a detour from the mass entertainers that Puneet is known for and was more of a docu-drama. The actor played an IAS officer in it instead of a typical mass hero. Was he apprehensive before accepting the project? "For me it's the theme of the film and the maker that matters. I don't think beyond that. So I had no apprehension of whether I'd be accepted or not. All that matters to me is doing justice to the film. Although I have to confess that after I finished playing the role, I was worried if I had looked convincing as an IAS officer. I had taken pointers from my friends who are IAS officers. I'm happy people appreciated it and the award is testimony to that. It's uplifting to be recognized for your work," he says.
Prithvi also had political undertones, a theme that the actor has never touched upon in his career. Was he worried about ruffling a few feathers with such a subject? "Whether it affects someone or not isn't my concern. What matters to me is doing my job," says Puneet. Nevertheless, the Power Star concedes there are a few movies in an actor's career from which he takes home some ideals and Prithvi is one of them. "And an award for this film has come during the same month as my father's birthday. It's like a gift from him," sums up the actor.
Contributed by Madhu Daithota
WINNING WAYS: Puneet Rajkumar
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