What have you got for your fans this time around?
Topiwaala is a fun thief-and-cop story. I play the thief who is out to con everyone. But there is one big 'topi' (cap) that puts him in a fix. That's what people need to watch out for. It's a spoof of sorts, which includes a lot of dialogues and tunes from old films too.
Why has a fun film like this been in the making for so long?
This is a storyline I had come up with over four years ago. It was only a year or so ago that director Srinivas, who liked it, decided to develop it into a full-fledged script. We kept improvizing at various stages — be it scripting, shooting and post-prodution — that included a lot of computer graphics, as well as re-editing. Every stage of filmmaking has been open to discussion — which is the advantage of working on a straight film when compared to working on a remake.
Would you classify this as being one of your challenging films?
Technically speaking, my most challenging film is the next film I take up. But yes, putting together Topiwaala has been extremely challenging in terms of the script. There are two stories that run in different dimensions that merge at a later stage.
Do you worry about what the audience will feel about your tagline that the film isn't for people without brains?
The tagline puts the whole picture in a positive light. Everybody has brains — so everybody would go watch the film, right?
Well, it does raise curiosity levels to an extent. Is that a must-do on your list each time?
I believe generating curiosity around a film is as much a part of filmmaking as shooting a film would be. Creativity begins when you intend to work on something new. You survey the market, see what people are used to, what they have seen, and what they would like to see. I would also put myself in the audiences' shoes to see if I would like to watch what is being presented. On an average, a man allots only 5% of his time to entertainment through movies. To be able to get him to want to spend a part of that 5% watching your film, is what we as filmmakers need to work on. eople have different approaches to deal with challenge. Mine is to generate curiosity.
Does over expectation make you anxious?
Expectations drive me. I thrive on what people expect of me. It makes me want to do better always. There have been people who come up to tell me how one odd dialogue from an old film changed their lives for the better. One guy has written a book and started an institution based on one of these dialogues. Another woman told me she took up a job and is a successful employee today because one dialogue in an old film motivated her out of depression. We may not be able to touch many lives, but if what you say and what you do makes a difference in the life of even one person, it makes you happy and compels you to want to do more. This is also why I end up sharing a message through all my films. I can make a pucca commercial film too, but that's just not my style. At the risk of being preachy, my films give people something to think about.
Yours is one of the biggest success stories in the state, and definitely so in the Kannada film industry. Is there anything in life you would have done differently?
I started off with nothing, but I did so without expecting too much. Yes, I did join the film industry with dreams of being an actor. But what I got instead were odd jobs — to write lyrics, screenplays, stories and so on. Acting happened along the way. I have learnt that to reach one's goal, one needs to apply oneself 100% in the present rather than just think about where you intend to go. It requires you to detach yourself even from your goal. I used to live in the present back then, I continue to live in the present even today.
Do you ever go offtrack?
Such things are easier said than done. Yes, I do go off track, many times. But over time, the time taken for me to get back on track has reduced from six months to just a few minutes of late.
About your goals... you wanted to be an actor, you are now a superstar. What's your next goal?
I do have a goal, but I feel it is better to talk about it only after I have got there.
You are known to have spiritual interests. Are you following any guru, or is there anything specific you are reading right now? I am currently studying myself - and how I need to live my life. I am trying to understand what is the ultimate in this life. I know it has nothing to do with materialistic gains. I am aware that there is something beyond all of what we see and experience. I read a lot of books and learn a lot through them. Learning is a constant process.
How do you unwind? Do you take a break from films ever?
Unwinding is one thing I need to learn, because I can't think beyond my work. But I'm much better than what I used to be before. The fact that I am a family man proves that.
Do you watch movies? I do watch recommended films. But while I am working, I prefer to keep my mind clear of any possible influences or distractions that may crop up through the visual medium.
There are rumours of you moving to politics. Does your goal have anything to do with that? I am looking at politics, but not the way people would imagine. I won't be joining any political party as such. I want to do something completely different - but yes, it is political in nature. I am not prepared to talk about that as of now.
top topiwala
ReplyDelete