Vijay Deverakonda recalls his big break: Picked from 16,000 applicants for 'Life is Beautiful

At the launch of Dil Raju's 'Dreams in Hyderabad, Vijay Deverakonda took a heartfelt detour into his early careerThe actor reminisced about how he was selected from 16,000 applicants for filmmaker Sekhar Kammula’s Life is Beautiful (2012).Though his debut came with Nuvvila in 2011, it was this coming-of-age drama that gave Vijay his first meaningful break in the Telugu film industry.Humble Beginnings and Audition NervesLong before Arjun Reddy made him a household name, Vijay was just another aspiring actor glued to casting calls. “I used to check a popular website regularly because social media wasn’t as common back then,” he recalled. When he saw Sekhar Kammula’s audition call for 'Life is Beautiful', he immediately applied—even though the director’s previous film 'Happy Days' had released when Vijay was still in college and not yet dreaming of acting.The selection process wasn’t easy. “It took six months from the time I applied to finally getting the role,” he said. “There were 16,000 applications, and only 12 of us were selected—including me and Naveen Polishetty. That little film played a big role in shaping our lives.”A Turning Point and a Message to DreamersAddressing the audience, which included many young hopefuls, Vijay said he still remembers the anxiety and hope that auditioning gave him. “The worry I felt at that time gave me a reason to wake up every day. It was better than feeling aimless. Just having a chance felt fulfilling.”From Then to NowSince Life is Beautiful, Vijay Deverakonda has risen to become one of Telugu cinema’s most bankable stars. After roles in 'The Family Star' and 'Kalki 2898 AD', he’s now prepping for his next projects, 'Kingdom' and a new film with director Rahul Sankrithyan.