The actor says his sole interest lies in the content of a project, not the names associated with it

Rana Daggubati may be playing the role of a tough cop in his upcoming film with Ram Gopal Varma, but in real life the Hyderabad-based actor is really soft-spoken.

Belonging to a family who is firmly rooted in the Telugu film industry, neither does he name-drop, nor has he an iota of pompousness. In a freewheeling chat with us, Rana talks about going beyond the language barrier and his philosophy behind choosing scripts.

Your second Bollywood film is up for release. Looks like you are here to stay.
Yes. However, I'm currently also busy shooting for a Telugu film.

Is language a barrier for you?
Not at all. I grew up speaking Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and English, so I don't think language is a problem.

What are your criteria before signing up for a film?
A good story. That's it.

Your role model is...?
Kamal Haasan inspires me a lot thanks to the variety of roles he has done and continues to do.

Tell us about your character in your next?
I play a cop who is committed to being true to his duties but he never actively condemns or opposes corruption. At the same time, he doesn't want to be part of it either.

RGV directed this film and you're sharing the screen with Amitabh Bachchan. How was the experience?
It was worth every single minute I dedicated to the film. You learn a lot working under a director like Ramu. I'm a huge fan of Amitji's work so I tried not to be awed by his presence but needless to say, it was difficult! (smiles)

Are you in a relationship as of now?
Yes, there's a special woman in my life.

And who is she?
No comments. (laughs)