'Mike Tyson is scary and sweet at the same time'

'He is really sharp and it was just amazing.'

Is Vijay Deverakonda more than 'just good friends' with Rashmika Mandanna?

While he opened up about it on Koffee With Karan, Vijay tries his hardest to be more discreet about it, and concentrate instead on his mega movie, Liger.

But he tells Rediff.com Contributor Mohnish Singh, "If there are articles (about my link-ups), I am okay with it. I would rather be who I am and have these rumours written about me than be a nobody and have nothing being written about me."

• Part 1: 'For two years, I did not touch alcohol'

How was your experience working with Mike Tyson in Liger?

It was amazing.

That man is a legend.

I believe that there are three or four superstars that you go to anywhere in the world and people will recognise them and know their names. Like Michael Jackson, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, and then Mike Tyson.

We got to work with him, eat with him, talk with him and laugh with him.

He is scary and sweet at the same time.

He would come before time and do his work.

He would do what he was told.

When you are narrating a scene, you don't know if he is listening because he will not acknowledge you, he will just keep looking at you.

Then you are like, 'Did he get it? Should I re-explain this or will he get angry?'

But when you call 'action', he says every dialogue.

When I was fighting with him, I wanted to know if he understood everything because we would tell him, 'Mike, first this, then this, then your hand goes here and I am coming for a kick.'

And he is like, 'Okay, okay'.

Then I am like, 'I hope you got it because I don't want to be punched.'

And then he would do exactly what was discussed.

He is really sharp and it was just amazing.

How tough was it for you to do the boxing?

It's something you learn.

On day one, you feel it is tough, but on day 10, it seems easier.

You have to put effort and learn but it is a sport I enjoy.

Mixed Martial Arts is a sport I watch and enjoy. So I enjoyed learning it and doing it.

How important is it for actors to be vocal about things that matter?

I am vocal, but maybe the more popular you get, you decide not to speak your mind always.

It is like people don't need to know what I am thinking.

My opinion on everything does not matter because already, there are countless opinions on a topic. Me adding mine to it, nobody will gain anything there.

I have learned that you do not need to vocalise everything that you feel.

Sometimes it is better to just shut up.

But it does not change who I am.

I still feel the same way and I am the same person.

In the core, Vijay Deverakonda is still the same boy.

There is a lot of talk on your relationships. Does that bother you?

No, I am okay with it.

I think it is just collateral damage of being a public figure.

When people love you and want to know more about you, I think they are just interested in your lifestyle.

If there are news articles (about my link-ups), I am okay with it.

I would rather be who I am and have these rumours written about me than be a nobody and have nothing being written about me.

I am comfortable with it; it does not bother me at all.

There have been reports of Tollywood struggling financially and as of now, things are on a halt there. As an actor, how do you reflect on the situation?

Oh, that is a temporary halt. They will start shooting in one week.

It is just that the producers have decided to stop shootings for a while and get everyone on the same page in terms of remuneration, cost of production, unions, and many other things that are technical and are beyond my understanding.

They have unions there. I don't know if you have it here in Mumbai.

So every now and then, these unions call for a strike.

We wait and when they sort their things out, we go back to work.