Cinema is first created on paper: Kalidasa Kannada Mestru director Kaviraj

Lyricist-turned-director Kaviraj talks about his upcoming film, Kalidasa Kannada Mestru; comedydrama, which features Jaggesh and Meghana Gaonkar, delves into subject of current education system
Cinema is first created on paper: Kalidasa Kannada Mestru director Kaviraj

Lyricist-turned-director Kaviraj gives a lot of importance to writing, and according to him, cinema is first created on paper before it is presented on the screen. Having penned the lyrics for many films for years, he marked his directorial debut with Maduveya Mamatheya Kareyole. Three years later, Kaviraj is coming up with his second outing, Kalidasa Kannada Mestru, for which he is teaming up with Jaggesh for the first time. Meghana Gaonkar plays the female lead.

The movie, which was earlier slated for release on November 1, is finally hitting theatres on November 22. Ahead of its release, the director tells City Express that his strength lies in his writing. “A writer’s thoughts usually get lost during the transition period, when the project is taken over by another director. So I believe that it is always important that the first-hand information comes from the director himself, and that’s when it can be best conveyed on the big screen,” he says.

More than making films for business purpose, Kaviraj says he wishes to deal with subjects that reflect the society. However, he is also aware that a serious issue will be accepted by the audience only if it is blended with humour. “I thought of Jaggesh when I was thinking about how to make a film like Kalidasa Kannada Mestru, which underlines the education system, in an entertaining way. Half of the job is done with him in the picture, because he is a versatile actor who understands the seriousness of the subject and has the knack to convey it with humour. Secondly his character, a schoolmaster, has a funny side too. He is a teacher who is against English. Last, but not the least, Jaggesh’s wife, played by Meghana Gaonkar, has a very dominating nature.  The film runs keeping all these factors in mind,” explains Kaviraj, who believes that comedy sells. “I am confident that my film, which is filled with humour, will have a good run at the box office,” he adds.

Kaviraj, who is a follower of Aamir Khan’s body of works, cites examples of his films like Taare Zameen Par, 3 Idiots and PK, which were serious subjects narrated in a humorous way. “I would like to bring that kind of formula and pattern into my films. There should be something for the viewers to take away,” he says.

Recalling his first film as a director, Kaviraj says Maduve Mamatheya Kareyole packed in more excitement than preparation. “The film’s subject was a thread that took place in my family, and producer Dinakar felt that it was good to be told on screen. Though I got good feedback, the film had two negative points, one of which, I was told later, was the wrong release date. It had come around when eight films were doing well in theatres, including 1st Rank Raju, MasterPiece, Rathaavara, and Killing Veerappan.

Tell him that he is repeating the same mistake of releasing the film along with another half a dozen films slated to release this week, and he responds that the case is different this time. “Except for one or two, the films that are currently running now are not creating that kind of buzz. We have over 250 Kannada films releasing every year. Also, Karnataka is a place where films in other languages also get a good hold. So I don’t have a choice but to come with other films. However, I expect my film to do the talking in the week of its release,” says Kaviraj, who was very particular that it is released in November.

Apart from Jaggesh and Meghana, the film, which has music by Gurukiran and cinematography by Kundlupere, features an interesting star cast, he points out. “It has Ambika, Tabla Nani, Nagabharana, Suresh Chandra, PD Sathish, Usha Bhandari, Raghu Ramankoppa, and Yathiraj playing pivotal roles,” he adds.

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