Popular lyricist Kaviraj is somebody who has played with words all his life. He has had complete control over them and this is reflected in the catalogue of over 1000 songs that he has created, which have been cherished through generations. While the lyricist in him animated melody, his inner desire was to eventually helm an entire film. And he has finally achieved his desire, clinching the director’s post for Thoogudeepa Production’s Maduveya Mamatheya Kareyole. The film, which will begin shooting on April 29, has a story conceived by Kaviraj. In an interview with City Express, the debutant director revealed his journey from writing songs to helming a film.
According to him, the ultimate aim of most people involved in filmmaking is to finally direct a film. “Whether it is as a makeup man or a costume designer, the final aim is to be a director,” he says.
An added advantage for him was that as a lyricist, he was able to understand the nuances of filmmaking as well as the psyche of the filmmaker. “I have been associated with as many as 400 directors and I was allowed to watch them work on the sets. Apart from that, I used to feel that every song of mine could lead to a story,” says Kaviraj, who conceived the story of Maduveya... after being inspired by a small incident within his own family. “It was a humourous incident and I just weaved a love story around it. The incident per se is the USP of the film. While there were many stories that used to come to my mind which initially would make me feel that it had the potential of becoming a blockbuster, I would end up finding too many loopholes in it soon. But it was different in the case with Maduveya... The story grew at every stage,” he says.
The lyricist and director admits that his inspiration to write songs and now, to direct, comes from minor everyday events. “Everyday, as I go out, I note down few points that I witness, which draw my attention. Whatever I watched used to get consumed in my songs. Now I am trying to convert them into scenes. In fact, I don’t read too many books nor do I watch many films. I am a keen observer and my observations are my strength,” he says.
Focussing on his journey as a director, Kaviraj is confident that his lessons from past directors will be of great help. “I have seen the mistakes of many directors. I will be filtering the good and chucking the bad. Also, I have seen that most directors spend a lot of time shooting and then sitting and scratching their heads at the edit desk. I will be shooting only what is required. That will save time and money,” said the director, who is currently concentrating on Suraj, the newbie who is making his foray as a hero with his film. “We are working a lot on him. In fact, he is in Bengaluru undergoing a workshop. Suraj is getting familiar with dialogue delivery and the working atmosphere in general. He has a strong ability to grasp things and that will be his strength,” he says.
Maduveya Mamatheya Kareyole will kick-start with a simple pooja on April 23. The films stars Suraj, Amulya, Anant Nag and Achyuth Rao. “Anant Nag and Achyuth have prime roles in the film,” he says.