Sharat Babu to produce in Kannada

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Investing Rs.3 crores on Ganda Hendathi and a boy friend dare devil Kannada film producer Shailendra Babu has no repentance or feeling an iota of uncomfortable situation. He feels proud despite a section of the media writing distasteful. The Bangalore Censor Board Chief Chandrasekhar cautiously watched the film recently and said it has the perfect message the married couple. I felt very happy as he understood the essence of the film rightly disclosed reputed producer Shailendra Babu on his new film Ganda Hendathi and a boy friend that is all set for release on 28 th of this month.

Here is an exclusive chat with Shailendra Babu:

Perhaps this is the height of irritation you have faced in your career?
You are right. Without seeing entire film writing nonsense has irked me. I have done what others have done. There was kissing scene in my earlier film Swathi, in Kannada film Malla the Shringara rasa was beautifully shown. Why all this, the film we get to see in television and non Kannada films are worst when compared to my film Ganda Hendathi. In Karnataka we have a situation to compete with four major languages of this country. In such a juncture we have to make a glorious film to attract the audience to Kannada films. With enormous difficulty we make films. It is media that makes the film to reach to wide audience. I have respect for the media. Because of one tabloid others have picked it up and wrote very rash on my films. This is where I was perturbed.

The censor observation has made you very happy?
Even before that I was content and correct in my making. The observation of censor board chief made me more comfortable because his viewpoint was something did not struck my mind. He and five others have very carefully observed the film and then passed the 'A' certificate. "Yee Chitradha Saramsha avare Artha Aago haage Helidru".

Do you mean to say Ganda Hendathi is for wide section of audience?
Definitely! Even if it is adult certificate, the boys and girls, married couple and the elders can view this film for message in it. It is not enough if you tie the Mangalasutra. In case the husband and wife step on different path what happens in life is the theme of this film. The film has meaningful end.

The publicity for this film is done in a different way.....
For audio sale we have erected posters. Two other designs have been made for the audio CD in lay cards. Nearly 30000 audio cassettes and 8000 CD's have been sold. The demand is increasing. We have done special photo session, invitation was different

This is your expensive project so far....
The final bill comes to Rs.3 crores. In Bangalore we are erecting 30 posters and in all over Karnataka there will be 60 vinyl posters. This scale of publicity I have not made for my previous nine films. In Bangalore we are releasing in 12 theatres. All over Karnataka we are distributing the film. We are going with 30 prints.

Any strong reason you have to take up this film Ganda Hendathi?
I wanted to a film with Upendra again after Kutumba and Gowramma. Ravi Srivatsa also sat and discussed but it could not get the required uplift to the story. At the same time I was discussing about this project.

After you took up this project.....
It became a very challenging issue for me to complete. The selection of new faces was very difficult task. Sanjana in the initial stage said it will be embarrassing but we convinced that it would be quite different. A boy from America came to my office. When Thilak came before us we did not had second thought on his selection. We got baby Sanchali through child coordinator Veena Bhat. In the office room baby Sanchali screen test was made and she turned out to be wonderful combination for the film. Then we thought of a known face. Vishal Hegde was finally picked for another important role. As a matter of fact I did Rangoli with newcomers.

It took a lot of time to shape up this project?
We started in last December in February the production took off and on July 10 the film went before the censor. Another challenging aspect is that there are no stars in this project

What is your observation after seeing the film?
Idondu Benne tharaha iro cinema. The making has been extremely good. The Bangkok house similar set was made again in Bangalore. Upendra and Sudeep came to this set.

With production of films on one side you keep forging ahead with financing films....
That is what has been very cozy for me. I have financed for nearly 50 to 60 films. Srigandha, A, Lock Up Death, Circle Inspector, Habba, Sri Manjunatha, Superstar are some of them. I have crores of finance in the bad and doubtful debts account. From Hosa Jeevana in 1990 as a producer I have come to Ganda Hentathi in 2006.