Shivarajkumar is on the cusp of an enviable feat. Jogaiah — The Legend Of Underworld, to be launched on his 49th birthday on July 12, is his 100th film. And Shivanna is not deterred by age.
He walks, talks and breathes cinema just like he did when he started 25 years back.
Shivanna nurtures endless dreams for the Kannada film industry and confesses that his father, his family and the people in general, have inspired him to get this far. After having essayed a character of an angry young cop who transforms into a sane man in Tamassu, Shivanna says it was indeed a challenge to play such a character. “There’s reformation, integration and loads of goodness in Tamassu. I think films on similar subjects must be made. Raajneeti was an exception. But the audience too must be willing to accept something different,” thinks Shivanna.
He sees himself shedding his image of an angry young man on screen and taking up more substantial roles.
“I would like to experiment with roles that I haven’t really tried before, like playing out a historical character for instance. The hero of films must undergo a make-over of sorts,” Shivanna told Metrolife. In addition to directing a movie someday, Shivanna says it’s only his consistency of character that makes him feel younger and more energetic every day.
“Simplicity is the key,” he points out. “I would never have been able to complete Sugreeva in 18 hours or look much younger than my age in Tamassu but for a positive attitude,” he says.
Shivanna confesses that he often recalls his role in Anand, his first film where he was nervous and all eyes were set on how Rajkumar’s first son would perform. “I still remember I gave my first shot. My entire family was present. I was appreciated for my performance. That gave me a lot of strength.”
Talking about Jogaiah… Shivanna says he can’t reveal too much but promises that he’ll appear in a totally different form. “The sequel is meant to be different. Prem has made some elaborate plans. I am not sure about them,” he says.
After a hundred films, where does he see Sandalwood heading? “I think we must spruce up our promos and marketing. It must be aggressive and we must go all out to sell our movies,” he observes.
He hopes there would be a breed of directors who will script out unusual themes.
Will he set a trend with his directorial venture and turn a new leaf in Kannada film industry? Shivanna appears game for the challenge. Source: http://www.deccanherald.com
