Rag Mayur, the accidental actor
I started with theatre while juggling multiple roles — writing, directing, and even working as a film critic for six to seven years. I had all this energy and love for cinema but didn't know how to channel it. I was also working an IT job at the time. In 2016, I made a short film titled Rama Kanavemira, which unexpectedly went viral with over two million views. That gave me the clarity that acting was where I truly belonged. I stopped writing, focused on acting, joined theatre workshops, and began auditioning for films like Mahanati and Dear Comrade — wherever I saw potential in the directors. Then came Cinema Bandi. I first acted in the demo version, but usually, demo actors don't make it to the final film. Thankfully, Raj & DK insisted we continue and that became my first major break. The response was overwhelming. We got messages from Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka... we had to use Google Translate to read the reviews! It finally felt like I had arrived.
You've often mentioned Tharun Bhascker as a dream collaborator in your earlier interviews. What was that experience like?
None of my interviews are complete without mentioning Tharun Bhascker, and rightly so. Cinema Bandi brought a niche following, but Keedaa Cola made me recognisable even among auto drivers and cabbies. After Cinema Bandi, Tharun messaged me on Instagram and that alone felt surreal. I had auditioned for Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi and was rejected, but five years later, I got Keedaa Cola. He's incredibly humble, encouraging, and believes in creative freedom. After two ad films, he called me in for Keedaa Cola, and that became one of my most cherished projects.
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