Lucia gets a hero :TOI

Lucia gets a hero

Satish Neenasam steps into Diganth's shoes, after the latter walked out of the Pawan Kumar project

Contributed by Mahesh H

   Technically, Satish Neenasam is no newbie. Sandalwood audiences will remember him best for his comedy acts in films like Manasaare, Pancharangi, and the more recent Puneet Rajkumarstarrer.
   But now, Satish, who has played supporting characters in 15-odd films, is set to become lead hero in director Pawan Kumar's Lucia. And what's more, the film will have Satish play not one, but two characters. "I have been instructed not to divulge details about the project, but yes, I can confirm that I am doing a double role in the film," says Satish.
   So how does he feel about the transition from supporting actor to lead hero? "Back in the day when I started out, my friends told me that I should aim for protagonist roles. But I was under the impression that unless you do some films and make yourself a household name, it is not possible to graduate to lead roles. I guess now that I have done 15 films and people recognize me, it is the right time to make the move. It feels good," he says.
   Incidentally, Satish, who is a regular in Yograj Bhat films, has bagged the role of one of the heroes in Bhatru's upcoming Drama. "Yograj Bhat is my godfather in the industry. He gave me in an opportunity in Drama. In fact, I've danced in this movie for the first time," he adds. Now that Satish is a hero, will he stop doing supporting characters? "I have not thought about it. If my film as a hero does well, I may think of doing more such roles," he says.
Meanwhile, Satish's last onscreen outing was the Puneet Rajkumarstarrer, in a role that critics thought resembled direct o ractor Prem. "Many people thought that I had imitated Prem in the film, but that was not the intention. In fact, I also hail from Mandya, just like Prem. The slang and dialect we use are very similar, which is probably why the audience felt that I was imitating him. Prem is one of the top directors in the industry and it would be foolish of me to insult him with my onscreen persona," says Satish.

Satish