Upendra Limaye of Animal fame all set to make his Kannada debut

Having wowed audiences nationwide with his portrayal of Freddy Patil in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film Animal, National Award-winning actor Upendra Limaye is now set to make his Kannada debut. Upendra will soon be seen in a pivotal role in director Kishore Bhargav’s upcoming film, which features Rishi in the lead. Kishore, who earlier worked as an associate director with Ram Gopal Varma and made his directorial debut with the Kannada film Stalker, reveals that casting Upendra was a decision born out of admiration. “His performance in Animal blew me away. While writing this character, I couldn’t think of anyone else,” shares the filmmaker.

In the Kannada film, Upendra plays the role of Vasant Rao, who is “wacky, aggressive, and funny”. Notably, the role comes with an unusual twist: the character suffers from misophonia, a condition where specific sounds trigger intense emotional or behavioural reactions. “Vasant Rao is unpredictable. His aggression stems from his sensitivity to sound, but that’s also where a lot of the film’s humour lies,” says Kishore.

A connection with Karnataka
“My mother is from Belagavi, so Kannada feels like my mother tongue—it’s a language of love,” says the veteran actor, who is widely celebrated for his work in Marathi cinema.