I got my big break at 58; my age is my USP: Mohan

By Arnav Khanna

Breaking into the film industry is a tall task as-is, but doing so at the age of 58 through a stroke of luck is a story befitting of the big screen in itself. Mohan M Gowda, who had spent nearly 30 years in the marketing industry, got his big break into the Kannada film industry with the film Roberrt in 2021 and was recently seen in Tharun Sudhir's Kaatera. “The gym I go to is owned by Panipuri Kitty who used to train actor Duniya Vijay, so there was a decent flow of celebrities there. Due to my height and appearance, I got noticed by director Tharun Sudhir who approached me for a role in his film. I jumped at the opportunity of working with such big names and the rest is history,” Mohan tells us.

This, however, is not his first stint with acting. Mohan had tried his hand at acting during the early 90s in a few Malayalam productions, but later had to settle into a more stable job. “Once you get married and have kids, the pressure for a stable lifestyle mounts. I had to leave my aspirations of becoming a hero behind and focus on my day job.” But now, having settled his family down, he felt ready to take the plunge, “My family was supportive, so was my company; there was no reason to hesitate,” he adds.
Does his age bother Mohan? In fact, he considers it his USP. “My age makes me a good choice for versatile roles. I can play a villain, and a villain’s dad, at the same time. Now, I am focusing on staying in shape, and doing everything to aid my progress,” he says.