VK Naresh was written off by critics in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He made a roaring comeback and has been one of the most sought-after character artists for the past 10-15 years.
The senior artist has successfully completed 50 years of his cinematic journey. "I started my career as an actor when I was just nine years old. 'Pandanti Kapuram' was my debut. The fear of child actors not succeeding as heroes lingered, but I didn’t bother about it. I got two film offers with my mother's ‘Prema Sankellu' and auteur Jandhyala garu’s 'Nalugu Sthambhalata'," Naresh says, talking about his early career.
Naresh is one of the few actors who got to work with some of the most talented filmmakers of his era. "I owe so much to Jandhyala garu, Amma (Vijaya Nirmala), K Vishwanath garu, Bapu garu, Ramana garu, and others for my eventful first innings," Naresh, who was last year seen in the meta movie 'Malli Pelli', says.
He counts 'Nalugu Sthambalata', 'Srivariki Premalekha', 'Chitram! Bhalare Vichitram,' 'Jambalakidi Pamba,' and 'Police Bharya' as his top five movies as a male lead. 'Jambalakidi Pamba', directed by EVV Satyanarayana, is deemed one of the best classic comedies of all time. "In the second innings, films like 'Guntur Talkies', 'Samajavaragamana' (the 2023 blockbuster), 'Malli Pelli,' and 'Intinti Ramayanam' hold a special place," he adds.
In the interview, he urged the Telangana government to revive state awards for the film industry.
