Hero Kiran Abbavaram’s career is no less than a film script. He comes from a small village without even a cinema theatre. His love story with films, his tryst with film writing, acting and the way he made his way into the hearts of the audience is a fairy tale with its fair share of struggles and hardships. Today with back-to-back shootings, not a day goes by without he being on the sets – which he says is what gives him happiness. With his next big film– Geeta Arts’ ‘Vinaro Bhagyamu Vishnu Katha’ ready for release, and a bunch of other big banner films in his kitty – Kiran says he is all set to enter the second phase of his career.

The Beginning
Acting happened out of the blue. I was coming out of a theatre after watching a film, when I met Girish, my super senior. He told me he was making a short film and wanted to cast me in it. During those days there was a boom for short films. And, I too used to watch a lot of them. I agreed to shoot for it. It was all very exciting, to make the film, and watch the preview at Prasad Labs. I felt this was what I wanted to do in my life.
I quit my job to work in films. My parents wouldn’t understand. For them it was a big thing that I was working and earning good salary. They were planning for my marriage.
I only told them about my decision when ‘Rajavaru Rani Varu’ was ready for release. It was released in 2019, November. And, the audience loved me.

Before and After ‘SR Kalyanamandapam’
I felt the need to get work from the time I was doing my short films. Before lockdown I signed up for a bunch of films that got delayed due to Covid and other factors. And, then when ‘SR Kalyanamandapam’ that I also wrote became a huge hit. I began to get offers from bigger banners. Expectations on me increased. However, I could not go back on my commitments and began to complete my earlier films. Today, I am shooting every day, which is a good thing. I am enjoying myself.
Everyone loved ‘SR Kalyanamandapam’ when it released after the Covid second wave. Theatres were houseful. The success I thought I will see after atleast five years in the industry – I saw with SRK…When I wrote the story I knew it was going to be good. But I did not realsie it was going to be so big. Then came ‘Sebastian’ and ‘Sammathame’ that got mixed response. Performance wise I got good reviews but these were the films made on lesser scale and audience was expecting more. ‘Nenu Meeku Baaga Kaavalsina Vaadini’ also went the same way.

Acceptance from Family Audience
When I started seeing success in films, I thought I am connecting to younger audience. But I am surprised and delighted with the families and elderly who love me. I guess emotional threads like the relation with father in SRK appeal to family audience.

Early Childhood & Falling in Love with Films
I was born in a small village near Rayachoti that hardly has 50 houses, I did not even see a town until many years. The village was my world. I studied in Telugu medium and what we studied there was what we knew. Playing in the mud, watching same movie many times on the one odd DVD players from the village was all we did. Television was there in a couple of homes and we would go there to watch. I had to fight for 2 -3 years to get a carrom board. From there I shifted to Tirupati for college and it changed my life. I met a lot of people. I realise there was so much to life. I fell in love with movies and film music. I started to enjoy my life through films. For me celebrating a festival meant going for a movie.
I had a very innocent childhood. My parents are not educated. They are farmers. They do not know anything about movies. Looking back, I feel those days were more pleasant. Knowing more means more trouble (laughs)

Hits & Flops – The Learnings
When I came into the film industry, I saw a completely negative world. I felt until then that if I worked hard, I could achieve anything. But, in the industry it is not just about working hard. There are so many people who tell you why you cannot make it here, and how I made a bad decision. I strongly felt the negative vibe. But I took it as an inspiration and thought why not. I felt that it would be an achievement only if I make it here. I never had a choice of going back or doing something else. I wanted to stay strong and positive.

I saw hits and flops very soon in my career. I am learning more from the failure than from success. I stay strong irrespective of success or failure as I know this is exactly what I want to do – act in films. I have had one big dream – to see myself on big screen. Now that I achieved it – everything else is a bonus. SR Kalyanamandapam put me in a stable position. Now I know what I can do.
When ‘Vinaro Bhagyamu Vishnukatha’ releases on February 17 – it will be the beginning of my second phase.
The character Vishnu is going to stay with the audience. The film came out better than what we expected. With Geeta Arts’ the production values for the film came out top class. The cast is good – heroine is Kashmira, Murali Sharma, Praveen.

Upcoming Projects:
‘Vinarobhagyamu Vishnu Katha’ with Geeta Arts is completed and Mythri Movies’ ‘Meter’ is also done. AM Ratnam’s ‘Rules Ranjan’ is on the floors.
‘Rules Ranjan’ is a romantic entertainer with Mumbai backdrop, and I will be sharing screen with many popular comedians and Neha Shetty.
I have two other major films – one with a Corporate Company entering Telugu industry for the first time and another one with Prime Show Entertainment.

Journey So Far:
My journey has taught me a lot, which I can’t tell in words. There was a time in my life when I did not even have money for a bus ticket. I saw a lot of money and I have seen a time when I lost all my money. I wanted to see myself as a hero in Telugu films, and I achieved my goal. Every day I am in a shot, I feel this. I do not complain or compare with others. I am enjoying my life with utmost happiness.

After coming into films, now, I know that the success in not in our hands – definitely not in hero’s hands alone. I work with honesty. What happens next is not in my hands. People have loved and accepted me. I also realised recently that I have a fan base who love me like a brother irrespective of success or failure.