“Playing Aravind in ‘#Single’ Was Pure Luck – Overwhelmed by the Amazing Response”: Vennela Kishore

Vennela Kishore, one of Telugu cinema’s top comedy actors, is riding high on the success of the summer blockbuster #Single. Directed by Karthik Raju, the film stars Sri Vishnu in the lead, with Ketika Sharma and Ivana as the female leads. Produced by Vidya Koppineedi, Bhanu Pratap, and Riyaz Chowdary in association with Geetha Arts, the movie is presented by none other than Allu Aravind.

Released on May 9, #Single has turned out to be a sensational success at the box office, drawing praise for its humor, story, and strong character performances — especially that of Vennela Kishore. In a recent press meet, the actor shared his experience and insights about working on the film.

“I Felt Lucky to Play Aravind”

“Sometimes when you eat chicken biryani, you unexpectedly bite into a liver piece — and it adds a whole new flavor! My character in this movie is like that liver piece — a pleasant surprise!” laughed Kishore, when asked about the amazing audience response to his role. Many reviews have even described him as the “second hero” of the film.

“There Was No Second Option for This Role”

The film’s director, Karthik Raju, revealed that Kishore was the only choice for this role.

“Sri Vishnu is known for improvising his dialogues on the spot. To complement that, you need a co-actor who can react just as spontaneously. That’s why the director thought I was perfect for the role. He had already envisioned every frame with Sri Vishnu and me together.”

Kishore recalls that when the story was narrated to him by Bhanu Nandu, he found it extremely entertaining and knew the same energy would translate to the big screen.

“I usually don’t watch my own films in theatres. But for #Single, I watched it with the audience — and their laughter and reaction gave me so much joy.”

Choosing Comedy Roles with a Twist

Kishore says it’s not always easy to find versatile comedy roles these days.

“Writers need to be encouraged first. Only then can they create fresh, new characters. Often, I get regular roles — but I try to own them and bring some uniqueness to every scene. When I manage to push a scene forward with my timing, it gives me immense satisfaction.”

The Kind of Roles He Loves

He’s fond of characters that belong to a different “world” and leave a mark — like the ones he played in Geetha Govindam and Ami Thumi.

On how difficult it is to make people laugh in today’s content-overloaded world:

“It’s very challenging now. With so many comedy reels just a swipe away, theatrical comedy must deliver something extra. Getting such roles is tough — and that’s the real challenge.”

Dream Roles and Career Highlights

Though he’s known for comedy, Kishore reveals that he actually enjoys thrillers.

Asked about playing the lead again after Charlie, he says:

“I do get offers, but they mostly involve love stories and songs, which don’t suit me. If a solid comedy-based script comes along, I’d definitely take it up.”

When Brahmanandam once called him his successor, Kishore humbly responded:

“That was said with love. He was just trying to encourage me.”

On his favorite characters:

“Vennela (from Vennela), my role in Bindass, and Dookudu — these will always stay close to my heart.”

And finally, playing the role of Aravind under Geetha Arts:

“Getting to play such a character in a banner like Geetha Arts — I truly feel lucky.”