The first mass film starring the lovely Vinay Rajakumar is undeniably a shocker. His senior colleagues have warmly welcomed this ‘Pepe.’ The boy-next-door, who once held a rose in his hand, now wields a sharp-edged weapon, kills, attacks, and stuns with calm and composed dialogue.
In a nutshell, Vinay Rajakumar, addressing the media on Wednesday morning about his August 30th release, PEPE, described it as a film filled with memories, both violent and silent.
The trailer’s release has received a good response, and people have some expectations for the film. It has been a journey of two and a half years. In the film, my character is named Pradeepa, but everyone calls me Pepe. The director, Srilesh Nayar, might have drawn inspiration from a football player of the same name.
“Some stories should be told through flowers, while others need a different approach. This story needed a patch, so we told it in that style. As an actor, I enjoy every film. You have to do all kinds of films as an actor. However, I have never done a film like this before. This is a new experience for me. I’ve always wanted to act in an action film. Along with action, there are other elements in this film. So, after hearing the story, I immediately agreed,” he said.
Speaking about the film, he continued, “It’s hard to say this is purely a revenge story. A few days ago, we shared some information about the families in Pepe on social media. It’s a story of struggle between four families in a fictional town. There are many characters in this movie. We’ve provided a family tree to help audiences familiarize themselves with the characters beforehand. Once you know that, it becomes easier to understand the movie.”
Vinay explained that the film explores the pressures of maintaining family honor: “This film is close to our culture. It’s the story of everyone’s struggle. We’ve shown the struggles of four families in the film, with each character facing their own challenges. The film conveys many themes, and it’s very important from which perspective you watch it.”
Mayur Patel, a friend of Srilesh Nayar, heard the story during the COVID-19 pandemic and was later invited to play the role of Guna. The film’s subject matter has depth, and all the characters have both positive and negative aspects. Notably, the three characters—Malpe of Kala Gangotri Kitty, Guna, and Pepe—dominate the screen. “I am returning to this character after five years,” said Mayur Patel.
The film stars Kajal Kunder as the heroine, alongside Mayur Patel, Yash Shetty, Bala Rajwadi, Medini Kelamane, Aruna Balaraj, Naveen D. Padil, and others. Pepe is directed by Srilesh S. Nair, with Uday Shankar S. and B.M. Sriram from Kolar producing the movie, which releases on August 30th.
As of Wednesday, PEPE is set to hit screens in over 180 theaters, and the number may increase, according to producer Udayashanker. Kolar Sriram, who co-produced the film, also appears on camera for the first time in PEPE.
