Vijay Deverakonda on privacy: "If I could wear a mask, I would"

Actor Vijay Deverakonda has often kept his public image away from his private life. Although he enjoys a massive fan favourite and is constantly in the limelight, the actor has consistently chosen to remain tight-lipped about matters beyond his films.Recently, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 'Arjun Reddy' actor admitted that the balance between fame and privacy has always been a difficult one. "I've always felt like it's a strange split, you want to be an actor and be known by the world, but you also want to remain anonymous. It's some kind of psychotic dichotomy,” he shared.

The 36-year-old actor further revealed that if given a choice, he would have preferred to keep his identity completely hidden. "I used to tell people that if I could wear a mask that didn't look like me, and that guy could be the star while I still got to act, I'd be happy," he said. "Because for me, Vijay Deverakonda the actor, I operate for him."Vijay further spoke about being a star. He enjoys the benefits that come with success, like comfort and respect. But he's not sure if people like and respect him for who he truly is as a person or just because of his movies. He feels that different people admire him for different reasons, some for his personality, and others because of his work on screen.Though often linked with co-star Rashmika Mandanna, Vijay hasn't confirmed any romantic relationship publicly. In an earlier interview with Curly Tales, Vijay Deverakonda said, "I am 35 years old; do you think I will be single?". He clarified that "his love comes with expectations," explaining he doesn't believe in unconditional love, "I don’t know unconditional love because my love comes with expectations, so clearly my love isn’t unconditional".On the work front, Vijay Deverakonda will be next seen in the pan-India film 'Kingdom', which is set to release on July 31.