After making his mark in Hindi and English films, Adarsh Gourav is now ready to make his debut in Telugu cinema with an upcoming, untitled project. Currently filming, he shares that this moment has been long overdue, as Telugu is his mother tongue. “It’s just that I didn’t know how to break into the industry,” he admits.
The actor credits Samantha Ruth Prabhu for helping him navigate the Telugu film world. He recalls a conversation at the Citadel after-party where he expressed his desire to work in Telugu films. Samantha encouraged him to take meetings and offered her support. “Her business partner and manager set up several meetings, and that’s how I met the producer and director of this film. It all came together by chance,” he says. He describes the film as a “multi-genre script,” blending psychological thriller, horror, and dark comedy.
When asked about venturing into the larger-than-life hero roles often seen in Telugu cinema, Adarsh notes that he didn’t grow up with those types of films. “I started watching movies later in life, and I was drawn to realistic Indian cinema—Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Dibakar Banerjee, and Zoya Akhtar. The characters felt relatable, like people I’ve met in real life,” he explains. However, he adds that for such roles in bigger films, the producers need to envision him in that light, as he can’t make those decisions alone.
While Telugu cinema is a new experience for Adarsh, the language is familiar. Reflecting on his upbringing, he says, “My parents made it a rule that we would only speak Telugu at home, regardless of what language we used outside. At the time, I didn’t understand why, but now, at 31, it makes sense.” Adarsh finds comfort in his linguistic connection to the industry. “Even though I never had Telugu friends growing up, there’s a familiarity here—maybe it’s the people or the food. It feels special working with people who speak the same language. It’s like they understand me, and I understand them, even though we’ve just met.”
