Satya 25th Anniversary: JD Chakravarthy Looks Back on the Cult Film and His Career

"After Satya, I should have taken up more work," says the cult film's lead star JD Chekravarthy, who wore multiple hats on the Ram Gopal Varma-directed gangster drama that turned 25 this month. Asked if he believes he didn't get the maximum benefit out of the 1998 film's success, Chekravarthy said the answer is not that simple. Satya Clocks 25 Years: Saurabh Shukla Says Ram Gopal Varma's Film Viewed Gangsters With Non-Judgmental Approach!.

"If I need to get sympathy out of it, then I'll say yeah. I put in loads of effort... Ramu sir told me, 'Chakri, I'm not underlining any of your dialogues. You are the music. But for Bhikhu Mhatre (Manoj Bajpayee), I'm underlining all the lines'. I said, 'So what happens sir because of this?' "He said, 'Probably, at this point of time it may look like you're a little subtle, and he would look (out there). That's the whole intent. Apart from that, I absolutely don't think there's anything'. After Satya, I should have taken up more work. But I was also taking care of our productions with Ramu sir and acting in Telugu. So, I continued doing work here, that's it," the Hyderabad-born actor told PTI in an interview.

Chekravarthy is happy that he did not do much work after Satya in Hindi as "people would be like, yesterday was Satya, so today is Dayaa", he said about his upcoming Telugu web-series debut. Satya explored the Mumbai underworld and after a slow start at the box office earned its place in the Indian film history as one of the most celebrated crime dramas. It also starred Bajpayee, Saurabh Shukla, Urmila Matondkar and Shefali Shah in memorable roles.

Chekravarthy, who has served as Varma's assistant since his 1989 directorial debut Siva, was also involved with the film's direction, editing and sound designing process. The actor-filmmaker remembers telling Bajpayee, who played the flamboyant gangster Bhiku Mhatre in the film, that the role would do wonders for his career.  Taaza Khabar Teaser: Bhuvan Bam Stars As Vasya In His OTT Debut Series; Filming Of The Disney+ Hotstar Show Goes On Floors (Watch Video).

"All along Satya was happening, I used to tell Manoj, 'Iske baad na, tu chha jayega'. He would say, 'No, sir, I don't know'. He had done some good work by then which didn't work. The reason is Bhikhu Mhatre's character was a tailor-made role, which anyone would do a good job in. Manoj has done an amazing job," he added.

The 53-year-old -- also known for Siva, Neti Siddhartha, Gulabi, Vaastu Shastra, and Darna Zaroori Hai -- gave only a few interviews during the film's anniversary celebrations on July 3. The actor said he consciously chose to stay away from the limelight.

"Rather than celebrating what we have done 25 years ago, I was probably doing something that will be celebrated after 25 years. You want the real reason why I was not around? One, I was travelling. You have to understand how much of this is true or false," he said.

After 25-30 years, the actor said, everybody would have their own versions of things which may differ from what actually happened during the making of the movie. "... Trust me what I would remember at that point of time would be completely different from what Ramu sir, Manoj, or Saurabh would remember. Sitting there, of the same scene we'll give you four perspectives. So, I thought no... That's ok," Chekravarthy said.

The actor, who has worked with Varma on 35 films, said he is in touch with the filmmaker, movie's co-writer Anurag Kashyap, as well as co-actor Matondkar.

"I think I fooled him enough to make him produce 35 films with me... I'm in touch with Urmila and Anurag. With Saurabh, it's been a long time. Manoj, yes, on and off on the phone. With Ramu sir, it's the other way around. (He says) 'Arre, you're too much in touch with me, let's maintain some distance because we meet every day'," he quipped.

He hopes Dayaa would be talked about the same way as Satya in the coming years. Chekravarthy said the Disney+ Hotstar show happened to him "unconventionally". When he was working on the Hindi series Taaza Khabar, the actor got a call from executive producer Shalini Nambu.

He was taken aback when Nambu offered him Dayaa, directed by Pavan Sadineni. "The moment she said this is a Telugu one, I was not ready to do a Telugu series. I said ok fine, I just ignored it. After two months, we got in touch with each other and I said 'Send me the basic synopsis'. "She sent me the synopsis and gave me a terrific reason saying 'Please don't read it'. I said, 'You are sending me the synopsis and asking me not to read it'. She said the director wants to narrate (the script) to you. I said ok. I got some more time to say no. I never read the synopsis," he added.

Right before Sadineni came to see him, the actor talked to the director -- known for Prema Ishq Kaadhal and Senapathi -- over phone. "The moment Pavan entered, I said 'Yeah, I'm doing it'. Pavan was disappointed," he said, adding that directors also come with his Satya image in mind.

"Initially after Satya in Bombay, people used to get disappointed with me... When they used to meet me, they expected me to say 'Theek hai'. But, that's the character I played in Satya, I'm not like Satya. So, Pavan was taken aback, he was like I want to narrate it, I was like, 'No, I want to do it'. So, that's how the journey of Dayaa started," he said.

Dayaa is a crime thriller which follows the title character (Chekravarthy) who discovers a woman's body in his van. His life takes an unexpected turn as he becomes enmeshed in crime and bloodshed. It also features Ramya Nambeesan and Eesha Rebba. The series, produced by SVF Entertainment, will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on August 4.