The rock star of Tulu and Kannada big screens, Roopesh Shetty didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Growing up, his father who was a Yakshagana artist, was his greatest role model. Roopesh recalls his school days when he used to participate in dramas and cultural events. “I used to watch my father in awe when he would perform villainous roles with great power and I always wondered how he did it so well,” he said.
Over the years, Roopesh has made his mark in the entertainment industry as a radio jockey (RJ), actor, singer, model, anchor, song writer and director. Born in Uppala, Kasaragod in the year 1991 to a Tulu speaking family, he was always interested in the entertainment industry and wanted to build a career in it. He joined a popular local TV channel in Mangaluru as an anchor where he got the chance to host some of the popularity shows. His talent did not go unnoticed and later on he worked in Tulu albums, till he got his first movie break in the year 2015 with the movie “Dibanna”.
When asked about his experience in the Tulu and Kannada industry, Roopesh said that people appreciate talent and those who work hard. “If you deliver good content, the industry will always back you up,” he said.
‘Girgit was my Rebirth’
Roopesh describes the 2019 hit “Girgit” as his evergreen movie. “Before this movie I did a few which did not give me the result that I expected. I was very disappointed and “Girgit” was like my last try,” he said, “I put my everything into that movie and it was a great success and people started believing and respecting team “Girgit”. He spoke about how it was his best decision to work with the wonderful script he had written himself along with two others. He opined that that this movie will forever hold a special place in his life as it changed it for the better.
New Tulu movie release
After a year of waiting, Tuluva audiences will get the much awaited “Gamjaal” starring Roopesh on February 19. “The movie is very special because the release date also marks 50 years of Tulu Cinema,” he said. Talking about this new production, he said that the film contains a wonderful message delivered through two stories with a dash of comedy.
He explained that the team had tried something new and different for this film and that he has huge expectations for film. “During the pre-release, we had a lot of positive response from the people,” says Roopesh
He expressed his interest in the Malayalam film industry too. “I watch a lot of Malayalam movies and I am impressed by them as they always try out a lot of new things. If I ever get a chance, I would love to do a Malayalam film,” said Roopesh concluding our conversation!
