Watch: Anand Deverakonda On His Two Year Disappearance

Anand Deverakonda has been away from the spotlight for nearly two years, but the actor has been quietly working on multiple projects. Ahead of Epic’s release, he sat down with Gulte Pro’s Ram Venkat Srikar and opened up about his recent films, acting process and the journey behind Epic.

Anand revealed that he was originally supposed to work on Chennai Love Story, but the project did not materialise as planned. During this period, he completed four films, including Epic and an Indo Korean film that he described as a madcap family story involving a Korean girl who influences the lives of an Indian family.

Speaking about Epic, Anand said he immediately connected with Aditya Hasan’s storytelling after watching 90s. He felt the world was extremely relatable and loved the way the characters and their emotions were presented. He also revealed that he took some time before committing to the film and met Aditya again to understand the character better.

Anand plays a character who grows from the naughty child seen in 90s into a young man dealing with love, responsibilities and his own dreams. He said the character is confused about relationships, has never been in one and wants to become a director. For Anand, the role felt personal as he could relate to several aspects of the character.

The actor also spoke about his working experience with Aditya Hasan and said the director asked him to simply be himself instead of forcing comedy or punch dialogues. Anand revealed that they spent hours discussing relationships and life before shooting, which helped him approach the character naturally. He also praised his co actors and the emotional depth of the film.

Anand believes Epic is more than a comedy and carries a strong emotional core. He hopes audiences will connect with the characters and see parts of their own lives in the film. He also discussed the movies that inspired him, including Past Lives, Kumbalangi Nights and the Marathi film Killa, while explaining how cinema continues to influence his acting.