Varun Sandesh, who was last seen in Nindha, is back with yet another thriller titled Viraaji. Right from his crazy new look to the trailer, things have caught the attention of one and all. The film is directed by Adhyanath Harsha and speaks to us about the film, its backdrop, choosing Varun Sandesh for such a unique role, the release date, and what made him enter films. Here is the transcript.

What made you choose Varun Sandesh for this crazy project?

My story is quite unique and is about a person who comes from the US and turns into a violent man. The character had to speak a lot of English and that too in the US Amercial slang. So, who else to do the role apart from Sandesh was my idea. The moment I completed narrating the first half, Varun gave his nod to the project, and that is how the film went on floors.

What is Viraaji all about?

Viraaji means the one who spreads light in the darkness. In other words, he is also a form of Lord Shiva. My film has a lot of suspense and thrills as its forte but the main aspect of Viraaji is the social issues that we are addressing through our film. The problem that we have discussed is quite contemporary and has disturbed one and all these days.

What's behind the crazy look of Varun Sandesh?

Varun plays the role of Andy, a rich kid who belongs to a popular family. He is careless, arrogant and has less value for others. He is also a chain smoker and an eccentric person. What happens when such a person becomes responsible and takes things in hand is the basic story of the film. Varun's transformation is one of the highlights.

Tell us about your background and how you landed in the film industry.

I am from Nellore and did my master's in Biotechnology and a PhD in Neuroscience. Post my education, I also did a filmmaking course and readies a few subjects. Once I came back to India, I made three short films and an Independent film, which I sold for two lakhs. Post this, I readied the story of Viraaji and approached the producer Mahendranath, and the rest is history.

Can you tell us about the basic backdrop of the film?

The story of Viraaji is simple. A group of ten friends go on a hilltop and get stuck in a haunted house. When they are out of help, the character of Andy, played by Varun Sandesh, enters the scene, and things change on their head. Who is this Andy and what's his connection to the haunted house and these people is the basic story of the film.

How confident are you about the final output?

We are releasing the film on August 2, 2024, and it has obtained decent theaters. Varun Sandesh is slowly getting back to form and has pinned a lot of hopes on this film. He got quite emotional after seeing the preview and said that the audience would surely love him in a new avatar. I hope the audience will like my different attempt, which has a strong social message as well.