Srikanth Srinivasa in Bangalore
Mohan, who shot into the limelight as a comedian with films like Olu Saar Bari Olu, Kothigalu Saar Kothigalu, Satyavan Savithri and Kurigalu Saar Kurigalu, also dabbled in writing before turning director with Krishna Nee Lateaagi Baaro.
Narasimha is a remake of Sharat Kumar's Tamil starrer Maayi.
In this interview with Srikanth Srinivasa, Mohan talks about Narasimha and his close association with V Ravichandran.
What is Narasimha about?
The film is about a crorepati who is basically a simple, sober personality and do-gooder. He is a loner who leads a simple life sleeps on the floor and avoids women.
Why does he lead a secluded life and what is the reason for this behaviour?
When womenfolk in his village and surrounding villages face problems, he defends them and becomes Narasimha. Basically, the protagonist has two shades to his character -- the ferocious Simha (lion) and the simple Nara.
The second half deals with how he is tamed and falls in love with a woman.
'It is difficult to imagine Ravichandran in such a role'
How did you get Ravichandran to sign such an unconventional role? He is considered the showman of Kannada cinema and the king of romance.
As a fan or a film-maker, it is difficult to imagine Ravichandran in such a role. But I was convinced that Ravichandran had played enough romantic roles all these years. As Vishnuvardhan and Rajkumar are no longer with us, I thought it is high time for him to take up such roles that would showcase him as a true leader.
I think this role is tailor-made for him. I have also realised that audiences liked Ravichandran in films like Ramachari, Kanasugara and Yaare Neenu Cheluve where he doesn't actually physically touch the heroine. I consider this one to be a conventional role because many of his fans are waiting to see him in this avatar.
'This is his best performance in the last 10-12 years'
People, especially his fans, have always seen him as a technician and less of an actor. How did you draw an actor's performance from him?
Ravichandran has himself acknowledged that he has not performed to the level of Narasimha in the last 10 or 12 years.
People have seen him more as a star and a technician all these years, but with this film, his fans will be able to watch a tremendous performer in Ravichandran.
Be it ferociousness or emoting or his Kannada diction or his intense performance, it will be something people can watch out for in this film.
'I was very nervous on the first day of the shoot
What was it like directing Ravichandran who is a hard taskmaster and difficult to please?
I was nervous on the first day of the shoot as I was directing him for the first time. I share a good rapport with him and he listens to whatever I have to say, be it at the scripting stage or the production stage. He is a director's actor.
However, the scenes, shots and the sequences have to be convincing. If you show conviction and dedication he will go out of his way to make a director's task easy.
Ravichandran understands cinema as a technician and he gets irritated very easily if the unit is trying to cut corners or if he is convinced that there is no commitment to the work.
He was convinced with our style of functioning and so he was very co-operative and involved in the making.
'This film is a complete entertainer'
How did you adapt to his style of functioning?
My style of film-making is different from Ravichandran's. I have not tried to step into his shoes. You may see some glimpses of Ravichandran's style in the film because of my long association with him. However, I have evolved my own style.
The protagonist will earn the sympathy of the audience for his idealistic lifestyle. This film is a complete entertainer, packaged well with fights, comedy, love, glamorous songs and all the commercial elements.
People will not see a larger-than-life image of Ravichandran in this film.
'There was no rift between Ravichandran and Hamsalekha'
How did you get Ravichandran and music composer Hamsalekha to work together after such a long gap?
I should say it just happened. It was after seven years that things fell in place without much effort. There was no rift whatsoever between the two in all these years. They had just not worked together.
I wanted Hamsalekha's lyrical value and the milieu for this film. They were mentally ready to work together and I am lucky that they came together with my film.
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