Riding high on the success of Ulidavaru Kandhante, actor cum director Rakshit Shetty, recently bagged the Best Director award at 62nd Britannia Filmfare awards 2014 (South). Besides, the film won three awards – Best Director, Best Music Director and Best Singer (Male) at the star studded event held at Chennai.
Rakshit Shetty traversed his journey in the Kannada film industry from actor to director and touched upon the industry’s failings and potential in this wide ranging interview with Newskarnataka.com’s, special correspondent Cindrella Daryani.
Here are a few excerpts from the interview
Congratulations Rakshit on winning the best director’s award for Ulidavaru Kandante. What kind of films would you like to direct next?
I would like to direct Anurag Kashyap type of movies or I can cast myself in such movies. Ricky is my upcoming release this year, and ‘Godhi Banna Sadharna Mykattu’ are two films in post production. I am getting ready for ‘Avane Sriman Narayana’ after which I will start my directorial movie ‘Thugs of Malgudi’, which may be completed this year or next year, depending upon Sudeep Sir’s schedule.
Why did you take up direction? How do you manage both acting as well as direction? How many films do you think you should do in a year?
Usually for direction, I take at least two years of break and in that span of time I take up my acting projects, meanwhile I also write my film scripts.
I came into this industry with an aim to become an actor. I never had an intention to direct any films, but when I saw that industry needs to cater more than what it has delivered to the audiences, from years; at that moment I just walked on the way of direction, and that’s how it has started! The number of films I do, depends upon my schedule or my co-actors’ schedule; if I am not acting, I work on my scripts and vice-versa
Do you see any difference between the Kannada film industry and Bollywood?
The Kannada film industry is not much different from the Bollywood film industry. There are two types of audiences in the state such as audiences for the commercial films and an audience for the realistic genre of movies. It is just that Bollywood have a pan India audience and the Kannada film industry has the state audience.
I’m sure you have your preferences among co actors. Can you share those preferences with us?
I always wanted to work with Sudeep Sir, and I am happy that I will be working with him in my next project. I would also love to work with Parvathy Menon.
Do you think that the Kannada film industry will be able to fulfil its market potential in future? unlike other south Indian film industries such as Telugu and Tamil?
Yeah definitely, it will have a healthy market and I see many directors with potential coming up in the Kannada industry. Perhaps, it will take four or five years to reach its full potential.
Unlike a decade ago, nowadays, I see people are talking about Kannada movies, times are a changing! Besides, industry needs actors and directors who would like to experiment things in a broader way; actors should also take up experimental roles. Yet, there are many other elements for success ratio.
Do you think that Kannada movies have audiences beyond Karnataka?
Though, we do not have a huge number of Kannada audiences outside the state, there are fans outside the state too, who still love to watch our movies and do so, through DVDs, downloading them etc.
Why is the Kannada film industry not able to market itself effectively? What sort of strategy should the film producers adopt for a better market reach?
Publicity is ineffective. There should be a professional team skilled with the aspects of marketing Kannada movies not only in the state, but outside the state as well; such efforts will surely create a niche for our industry.
If five percent of the state population has watched any particular movie that movie has been considered a hit. Such promotion and approach is extremely needed. Besides, as more multiplexes will open up the reach will increase.
What advice you would like to give to aspiring actors and directors across the state? How do you see the opportunities for them?
Make good films. They can act or direct movies of their interest. There is a market for commercial films. Industry has a huge potential to greet all kinds of films and to explore new things.
And one last personal question on behalf of our many curious readers – When are you getting married?
After one or two years, perhaps I will plan to get married. I don’t mind marrying girl from any background such as a doctor, engineer or an actor. What I want is just that my dream girl should be a combination of intelligence, judiciousness and maturity.
