He seems on a high. Understandly so. After bagging the Best Supporting Actor (Male) at the 57th Idea Filmfare (South) 2009 for his scintillating performance in Arundhati, actor Sonu Sood confesses that he had always wanted to hold the Black Lady in his hands.
Hyderabad Times caught up with him when he was in town recently. “It is like a dream come true. I happened to visit an actor friend of mine and simply fell in love when I saw the coveted Black Lady gracing his cupboard. I held the statue for a few moments and it felt awesome. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to own one, eight years later,”he confesses with a smile.
Although, he had been nominated a couple of times, lady luck smiled on him for a Telugu film. “This award will remain special for me. My late mother must be so happy to see her son holding the award he’s always wanted,” he says misty-eyed. While many B-town actors have played dark roles in Tollywood, Sonu is one
of the few who’s survived for six long years. Is there a secret mantra that has made him so much more enduring? “I like to pick the right role. Ihe recent past I’ve said no to 20 films. I insist on hearing the full script before giving my nod,” he explains. Wasn’t he ever tempted by big bucks? “I come from a business family and am a qualified engineer. I could have earned enough money without joining films. But I took up acting since it is a creative field. I am at peace with myself because I am doing what I love,” he says.
In his upcoming Hindi film Dabbang Sonu plays a substantive role. “My role is central to the script which revolves around a corrupt politician and a dishonest cop, and the film is loaded with grey characters,” he reveals. He is equally excited about his upcoming T-town film, a socio-fantasy, with NTR Jr.
“I found NTR looking fit and trim after shedding kilos and we ended up discussing fitness regimens in between our shots in Egypt.” Sonu confesses that he shares warm work rapport with T- town superstars. “Nagarjuna treats me like a family member. Even Venkatesh, with whom I haven’t worked yet, always has a word of praise for me,” he gushes.
For now Sonu’s gearing up to play the male lead in a Kannada film. “It’s now my turn to bash up the baddies,” he grins.
