It’s a challenge to play a character that has been owned by someone else for over 800 episodes. Aditya Redij of Na Aana Iss Des Laado fame stepped into the role of King Krishnadevaraya—earlier played by Manav Gohil—in the new season of the popular television series, Tenali Rama. Redij embraces the challenges of portraying a king with gravitas while maintaining the light-hearted essence of the show. “When I wear the heavy costume, it feels nice. It brings in the aura the character needs and helps me perform better. I would do comedy scenes too, but without losing the gravitas of the character,” he shares, crediting the elaborate attire and dialogues for enhancing his portrayal.

The actor chose not to watch previous seasons to avoid being influenced by Gohil’s celebrated performance as Krishnadevaraya. “To be free from all prejudice, I bring in my own perspective. I aim to stay true to the essence of the character while bringing my own learnings to it,” Redij explains. Despite the lack of extensive preparation time, he relies on rehearsals, on-set workshops, and the creative team’s guidance to immerse himself in the character. “The makers have done the research so I trust them to keep it authentic and show me the way. I don’t question why my character is doing what he is doing. It’s a process, but as I go ahead, it will become second nature,” he adds.