Aadi Pinisetty. You know him. You have seen him in Sarainodu and were left mesmerized by his skill. You know you wanted to see more of him in more movies. The thing is that he is never seen in those stereotypical movies. He is always seen in movies where the story is quite interesting and new. That is what Aadi`s brand is as of now. But, why is it like that? Why doesn`t he want to do more mainstream commercial flicks? Just SO many questions!

So, we got a chance to chat with Aadi Pinishetty about his new movie, Marakathamani. We asked him everything you want to know about him (you`re welcome). So, grab a seat and read along because this interview is quite a ride!

The interview started with him chuckling “Are you going to ask me the most complicated questions?” and he laughs harder.

So, Your new Movie Marakathamani has hit the big screen and people seem to talk about it. What`s the kind of feedback that you hear?

“The response to Marakathamani in Tamil is unbelievable. Everyone loved it there. Even in Telugu, people seem to love it. So many people (in my circle) have called me and gave me some honest feedback about the movie. Most people tell me that the movie is different from the routine commercial movies you see out there. The script was refreshing and new, which is something I look into as well.”

How do you know if the feedback is genuine?

“I have 20 contacts in my phone that I have named “true” before their names. So, these people just tell me the most brutally honest and frank opinions on my work and I always accept the feedback. It helps me evolve and reflect on my work”

How would you describe working with the team of Marakathamani?

“It was a fun and joyous ride all along. The director, A.R.K. Saravan has done a great job. He is just so comfortable to work with. As soon as he comes on to the set, his ideology spreads around us, which is great. Nikki Galrani has a huge market in Tamil. People are mind-bogglingly crazy about her and I think she totally deserves the success. She earned it all. Rest of the cast too was very hard working and very comfortable to work with. It feels more like a family or a friends get-together rather than a working set.”

Would you reveal anything about the movie?

"I can`t reveal much as I don`t want to be the one giving spoilers to the audience but I can say that the movie is something that you have never seen before. It is quite different. There`s action, comedy, drama, fantasy and much more."

Speaking of fantasy, critics say that the movie lost track of logic…what`s your take on that?

"I think people walked into the theatre knowing that the movie involves ghosts. Which means that the audience who walked into the theatre knowing what they paid for and that is where the filtering begins. You can`t expect logic out of a fantasy genre. It is fantasy. Fantasy is something that`s not real. This movie never promised logic. It promised value-content and lots of laughs which it could deliver."

From his movie, we shifted the topic to something more serious. His career.

How do you think you have grown as an actor?

"My first movie (Oka V` Chitram) is the reason that I am here. I have done so many movies after that and each movie has contributed to my growth just like the first one but I do think that Malupu and Sarainodu were turning points. People knew me after I worked in Sarainodu. So, I have grown in ways that I can`t explain but I do think that my choice of my scripts keeps getting better as I move along."

Do you choose your scripts by yourself or do you take help from your family members?

"Both. I do choose some scripts but I do want my family to have a say in my scripts. They are a part of my closer audience too so I don`t want to compromise on that. It`s always good to have another point of view while choosing scripts."

Are you making big bucks post your success from Sarainodu?

"I don`t think the commercial factor was the main focus for me. Of course, money is important but that is not the only reason I`m working in the film industry. I work here because I love my job. Job satisfaction is very important and to get paid for what I love feels like…I can`t even describe it because it`s that ecstatic."

Do you feel the pressure to choose more commercial hits than the movies that you have done so far?

"Not at all. I am comfortable where I am. I am always on the look for something more organic and new. If a script is going to be a commercial hit but the script is very routine and doesn`t match my ideology then, I will not choose a script just because the movie is from a big banner or something like that. I want do something genuine and real. If you look at my track, you will see that all my projects are very versatile and I think that`s the best part. But of course, if a commercial script came my way and it matches my ideology then, I am very open to taking up the role."

Do you think the audience will love your style of ideology?

"I think the audience has changed their preferences through the years. They are looking for something more classy and edgy. They are tired of the routine stereotypical stories with lots of noise. The audience is looking for something more natural, simple, meaningful, genuine and honest with some relatable factor."

How do you feel about your journey so far?

"I learned that you have to work hard. Harder than you think you need to. I understood that the cinema world is a rollercoaster ride and you just have to enjoy the ups and downs of the graph. I am glad that my graph has ups and downs. If it`s a straight line then it means that I am not progressing at all."

From that conversation, we moved on to something lighter. His life, his relationships and more.

Are you single?

(smiles and blushes) Uh…yes.

Have you been in relationships before?

AP: "I don`t think if I`ve ever been in a proper relationship. It was always crushing. My schooling was done in a boys school, my college was done in boys college, so I never really got any chance. So, I am shy around girls now. I can`t be as confident as the other guys but I am polite and I try to strike up a conversation."

Do you get a lot of proposals?