Indrajit: I play a superstar in the film

Indrajit Lankesh, son of the renowned Kannada litterateur late P Lankesh, is now directing the Kannada movie Dev, Son Of Mudde Gowda, starring Diganth, Charmi and Anant Nag.

The film hits the screens this Friday.

Indrajit makes a brief appearance in the film for the first time although he is known to make guest appearances in all his movies.

In this interview with Srikanth Srinivasa, Indrajit Lankesh talks about Dev... and the controversy surrounding it.

What is the film all about?

The film is about a father and son. It is set against the backdrop of different cultures and turns the spotlight on the differences between the father and the son, the love and sentiment they share.

The film has a message for the youth, something that Sachin Tendulkar had said some time back-- "just follow your dreams". That is the punchline of our film.

Javed Ali and Lucky Ali have sung for the first time in Kannada 

Is Dev, Son Of Mudde Gowda, based on a real incident in the film industry?

The film is a film within a film. There is a hero, a choreographer and an actress in the film. I play the role of a superstar in the film.

If you see the film, you may connect some incidents to some actors. It's not a deliberate effort, but they are all real characters.

We have not matched the character of Dev with any political figure or tried to make it a political satire as reports have suggested.

The film is not based on any real-life character. It's all based on incidents that are meant to be humorous and entertaining.

Is the film meant to be a spoof on the working of the film industry?

No. The film industry forms the backdrop. The film is not meant to be a spoof on the working of the industry. The main ingredient of the film is the relationship between the father and the son.

What was the controversy about the title of the film?

The film is not based on any politician. It is certainly not based on our former prime minister, Deve Gowda. The main lead is played by Diganth whose name is Dev in the film.

I have five friends in my contact list whose names are Mudde Gowda. It is a very common name. It does not represent any person from the Gowda community. People belonging to the community may have believed that the film is about them.

I respect every community. When people of the community see the film, they will find the title apt. Mudde Gowda is a very positive character in the movie, portrayed by Anant Nag.

What about the controversy relating to the film poster where Diganth drops his pants?

Diganth has not dropped his pants deliberately. He plays a model in the film and is actually modelling for an undergarment.

If you have seen undergarment ads, models often pose for pictures with their undergarments on. I couldn't have shot for a undergarment ad in the movie with his pants on.

It is just one of the scenes and we used it in the poster. It is a humorous situation and audiences will definitely like it.  

What was it like directing someone like Anant Nag, who had a lot of good words to say about working with you?

I worked with him in Lankesh Patrike nine years ago. I was then like a kid in a toy store who had a passion for making films.

It was a great honour to be working with one of the wonderful actors of the country. He is so effortless. I feel like looking only at him when he acts. He is like Sachin Tendulkar who makes batting look so easy.

When the camera is on, you realise how tough it is to act and similar is the case when you hold a bat and face the ball.

How was it working with Diganth who is a heartthrob and quite young?

Diganth is like wine. He is blossoming into a good actor. With every film he is improving. All this while he was playing the boy next door wearing casuals and sporting a stubble. He should nail it with this film.

He plays the role of an actor in the movie. He should concentrate on accepting good characters which will put him in the top league. Diganth is good looking and talented.

What is the new promotional activity that you have launched for this film?

We have launched an initiative that will ensure Kannada-speaking people living abroad get to watch this film simultaneously with the release here.

People in far-off countries cannot buy a DVD or a CD of a Kannada movie. We are premiering this movie on Youtube on the same day of the release. Kannadigas can see the film by paying dollar 2.9 on Youtube. Anybody living outside India can view the film on Youtube.

This initiative will ensure greater reach. People who watch the film will not be able to download it, but they will be able to stream it. We have a revenue sharing arrangement with Youtube for this.