Vishnu Manchu told Ajith Kumar he was ‘disappointed’ with his side role in Asoka; here’s how he reacted
Jul 02, 2025 06:03 AM IST
Vishnu Manchu opened up about the possibility of doing a Bollywood film soon, and said he cannot just do a ‘random character’ in a film.
Vishnu Manchu is basking in the positive response for his latest release Kannappa. The actor was recently asked whether he has any plans to act in a Bollywood film, to which he said he would do so, given the part is good. Vishnu also shared that he was disappointed with the role that was given to Ajith Kumar in the 2001 movie Asoka, which was directed by Santosh Sivan. (Also read: Frustrated Prabhas fan wants to sue Vishnu Manchu after watching Kannappa: ‘Where is Shiva, why are you showing heroism’)
What Vishnu said about Ajith Kumar
During an interaction with India Today, Vishnu said he is waiting for the right opportunity in Hindi cinema. He added, “A long time ago, I was approached, but the roles didn’t excite me much. See, we all aspire to be top actors – respected actors. And whatever following or fan base I have, I’ve built it with a lot of love. I have to respect that. I can’t take my fans for granted. For example, Mr Ajith (Kumar), one of the biggest superstars in India, did a role in ‘Asoka’ with Shah Rukh Khan. I had the opportunity to talk to him. In fact, I told him in the early stages, ‘Anna’ (which means elder brother), ‘I was disappointed you did such a small role.’ He just smiled and stayed quiet.”
‘I can’t just come and do a random character’
He went on to add, “I can’t just come and do a random character. It has to be something that really excites me. I can’t be selfish and say, ‘I’ll do what I want, whether they like it or not.’”
In Asoka, Ajith played the role of Sushima, which was a special appearance in the film. The film, which was based on the early life of emperor Ashoka of the Maurya Empire, also starred Kareena Kapoor, Danny Denzongpa, and Rahul Dev.
