Sanchith Sanjeev, the nephew of Kichcha Sudeep, calls himself a “self-aware actor.” Soon after his debut Mango Pachchahit the screens on June 05, 2026, the actor was compared to his Kannada superstar uncle.

“I take it with a lot of pride when people say I resemble Sudeep sir,” Sanchith tells The Hindu. “I take it as a big compliment. You are comparing me with a man who has been in the industry for 30 years. He is somebody who has made a name for himself across the country. When you grow up looking up to someone as your role model, you will pick up certain things that you like about them.”

He says further, “That said, I am here to make my identity. But give me that time to show who I am as an actor. I am not saying the comparisons will end with my next movie. Give me time to show that I am a lot more than what you have perceived.”

Sudeep was part of the film’s final schedule, mentoring debutant director Viveka. Sanchith remembers being in awe of Sudeep’s filmmaking abilities.

“Before a scene, he is very picky. He has several questions about a character. He will point out aspects that we might have missed while reading the script. Be it the way a character talks or what he or she dresses, he is very particular about how a character is presented. He is very specific about framing and the kind of background against a scene unfolds,” he explains.

Sanchith’s debut surprised people as it lacked the typical hero-introduction songs, punchlines, or ‘massy’ scenes associated with the launch of star kids. The movie is a slick, character-driven crime drama that revolves around the illegal drug cultivation racket in Mysuru of the mid-2000s.

“When I heard the story of Mango Pachcha, I felt that the film had a good character graph for the protagonist. More than it becoming a ‘star film’, I felt the movie had great potential to show me as a good performer,” points out Sanchith.

“Throughout the movie, we were conscious that we would not show any scene that makes me look like a star. Because if I need to appear like a star, I need to have a certain kind of aura around me. Currently, I am building my reputation and still getting introduced to the Kannada audience. If I start behaving like a star too soon, the audience will write me off.”

Talking about his biggest takeaway about acting, Sanchith quotes a line from the popular series The Crown. “There is a dialogue from the series that says, ‘I am aware that I am surrounded by people who feel that they could do the job better.’ So, cutting out that noise is crucial for me as an actor. I don’t want to be influenced by anybody’s opinion of what acting is. Art is subjective,” reasons Sanchith, adding he believes in making his own judgements.

Sanchith was convincing in his intense portrayal in Mango Pachcha. He plays a vulnerable youngster yearning for respect from society, so much so that he gets into illegal drug trading to earn money and live a lavish lifestyle in front of those who behaved badly with his family. The actor wants to explore diverse themes, including a romantic comedy.

“With the people I am very fond of, with whom I can be relaxed, I am an easy-going person. I might look like a serious person. My body language might make me come across like that. Not every funny person has to be wobbly and excited all the time,” he says. “I’m looking forward to doing a light-hearted movie where I play a happy-go-lucky character. I’m a big fan of Imtiaz Ali. I want to do a romantic drama with a lot of depth. If it’s a comedy, I want it to have a big heart. I can’t do anything superficial.”

Can he pick a Kannada equivalent of Imtiaz Ali? “I don’t think there is anyone,” opines Sanchith. “The closest film I have resonated with as far as the portrayal of relationship dynamics is concerned is Suri’s Inthi Ninna Preethiya (2008). The film showed what loss can do to a person. I also liked Just Maath Maathalli (2010). But what happened to these movies? They were accepted much later. Where were these people when these movies were released? They pushed the creators to a situation where they decided not to attempt such stories.”

“We, as an industry, have a long way to go as far as writing complex yet engaging relationship dramas is concerned. We need to start respecting our writers by paying them well. If we don’t do it, people will quit their film dreams and opt for a 9-5 job.”

With Mango Pachcha, the nepotism debate has resurfaced in the Kannada film industry.Sanchith has no qualms in accepting that actors from film families get early access to the industry. But he points out that nobody can grow without people’s acceptance.

“I don’t want to understand what it takes to be accepted by people. The minute I start thinking that way, I will put myself in a bracket. It’s like asking, ‘Why do you love a person’? If you start overanalysing your feelings, there is no magic left. For now, I am trying to be a good actor. If you appreciate me, I take it as an encouragement. If you didn’t like my performance, please feel free to express that.”

Sanchith was supposed to make his directorial debut with Jimmy before he put that movie on hold for Mango Pachcha. The character glimpse of Jimmy showed Sanchith in an intense avatar in what appeared to be an action drama.While he isn’t sure about the future of Jimmy, he dreams of making a gripping action movie in Kannada.

“I want to make a really good action movie. I am not keen on having several slow-motion scenes. I want it to look very real. It should have amazing music and action choreography set against terrific locations. I want to make a movie as a homage to John Wick,“he says.