Rahul Vijay is the hero of 'Suryakantham', which releases on March 29. Starring Niharika as one of the heroines, the film has the male lead in an interesting role. In this interview, catch Rahul Vijay talk about the project, what he felt after his first movie bombed at the BO, his upcoming movies and more.

'Suryakantham' essentially is a rom-com. How did you land this project?

I had signed up to do this project even before my debut film 'Ee Maaya Peremito' came my way. I listened to the story after Varun Tej asked me. I really loved it and decided to do it.

Your first movie didn't do well. Were you disappointed?

I wasn't. The film didn't do well at the box-office but I was appreciated by many for my performance. Everybody said that I did a good job. I feel good that I did full justice to the character that I played in the movie.

Coming back to 'Suryakantham', what can we expect from the rom-com?

It's a fun-filled flick. There are several ups and downs in the movie in terms of emotions. The screenplay and the script are remarkable. Emotions are universal and how the story is told is what matters.

In the Trailer, you come across as a timid guy. What is your character like in the movie?

Abhi is a confused youngster. In this regard, Abhi is so unlike Rahul Vijay. I had to do my homework for this role. I had to observe people. Abhi is an innocent guy who is squeezed between two girls. He doesn't hurt anybody. Every character in the story has its own significance. I am waiting to know which character will triumph the most with the audience.

I like performance-oriented characters the most. I don't have any interest to become an action hero right away. I want to do experimentation as much as I can before I turn 30.

How was it working with director Pranith Bramandapally?

He is a very talented guy and I am confident that he will reach heights in life after the release of 'Suryakantham'. Pranith's characters are neither white or black. They are grey. That's what makes them realistic and that's what makes his storytelling quite exciting. The first half is fun-filled, while the second half is emotional.

Niharika Konidela is very likeable in the Trailer. What have you observed about her?

She is a strong-minded, independent woman. She knows how to carry herself along. She knows how to keep others from taking advantage of her.

Does your father have a say in the movies that you choose?

He doesn't have a role. He does listen to the story and give his advice, though. But the final call is mine.

What about your next movie?

I am doing a Telugu-Tamil bilingual, which is the remake of a Kannada movie. Srikanth garu will be seen as my father in it. The Tamil version will see Prabhu garu in that role. It will go on the floors in the third week of April. Pre-production works are on.

Later, I will be doing a movie based on kickboxing. A newcomer named Mani recently narrated the script to me and I loved it. I had learned kickboxing for four months. Martial Arts are also not new to me. I learned them in Bangkok for four months. Although my father (Vijay) is a stunt master, I never learned anything from him.