Most actors say that comedy is the toughest thing in acting. Telugu cinema has seen many iconic comedians, from Relangi, Allu Ramalingiah and Brahmanandam to Sunil and Venu Madhav. Among the current lot of artistes, Vennela Kishore has proved himself as someone who can bring in the laughs with perfect comic timing. He uses his great dialogue delivery skills and expressive face to great effect. With consistent good work, remarkable screen presence and close to 130 films in his filmography, he might just be Telugu cinema's next king of comedy.
This Saturday, the actor turns 40. Here's a listicle of 10 performances of Vennela Kishore that stood out.
Kishore's performance as Khader Bhasha in Vennela was so memorable that it became his prefix. There was enough humour to leave you laughing for long, and Kishore's performance made the character a memorable one.
Inkosaari is about a group of friends who get back for a reunion seven years after they finish college. Vennela Kishore plays Bala Bokkala, one of the friends, who is dealing with separation from his wife. The story lends him ample scope to display his acting chops and he excels in both the emotional beats and comedy. He won a Nandi award for 'Best Male Comedian' for this film.
Dookudu was the first big commercial break for Kishore. The comedy tracks in every Srinu Vaitla film are special and Dookudu had multiple comedic sequences with veteran comedians such as Brahmanandam and MS Narayana. Vennela Kishore held his own as Sastry, who believes in his grandmother's predictions. The exchanges between Mahesh Babu and Kishore are pure gems.
Kishore plays Lucky's friend and colleague who becomes a scapegoat in a complicated situation that Lucky puts him in. He shares perfect timing and rapport with Nani and brings out the laughs with his awkwardness. Vennela Kishore stands out in the film's second half and makes it a laugh riot.
Another memorable Nani-Vennela Kishore combination is Majnu. Kishore as 'Sanjay Leela Bhansali', a taxi driver who pretends to not understand Telugu is hilarious. Even with his brief appearance, he created a huge impact. "Bhansali, kuch bola?" became an iconic line.
Vennela Kishore plays a guy who feels he's been possessed by another spirit. His antics are hilarious and Kishore's portrayal of multiple personalities brought in the laughter.
Sri Chilipi is the heart of Ami Thumi, and one of the best roles portrayed by Kishore. Chilipi is a guy who comes to Hyderabad to marry a girl just for her inheritance, but becomes a pawn to the plan that Deepika (Eesha Rebba) comes up with. He plays the character with such conviction that the audience both sympathised with and laughed at him.
Dasu is someone Janaki (Kajal) thinks is suicidal and she takes him under her care to make him find hope for life. But Dasu actually keeps leeching off of Janaki, because he has lost his job. Vennela Kishore acts all obedient and sincere in front of Janaki and is a sluggard otherwise. The parts where he pretends to write a book about Janaki to be in her good books are hilarious.
It is impossible to forget the staircase scene and the orange juice scene when we talk about Chi La Sow. Vennela Kishore as Sujith plays a boy-next-door kind of character, but with an added dose of sarcasm. His dialogues seem natural and realistic but are loaded with punchlines. His character seamlessly fuses humour into the narrative.
Although he appears for a very limited time in this film, Kishore as the groom who is supposed to marry Geeta makes an amazing impression. He is angry and disgusted after wrongly presuming that Geeta's family has demanded dowry from Govind (Vijay Deverakonda) to get his sister married to Geeta's brother. Kishore's misunderstanding and his frustration generate numerous laughs.