K Manju, a well-known producer in Sandalwood who has brought out around 40 films and has worked with actors such as Vishnuvardhan, Sudeep, Darshan and Yash, is all set to launch his son Shreyas Manju in a grand fashion.
The young talent, all of 22 years, will make his Kannada debut this year. 6-foot tall Shreyas told his father that he wants to become an actor and soon signed up for training. Confirming the news, Manju told City Express that he will be launching his son and the film will go on floors sometime in May or June.
“Filmmakers have approached with good scripts but I want his first film to be made under my banner and it will be an ode to my Guru, Vishnuvardhan,” says Manju.
“In fact, I have already decided on the title, Sampath Kumar, (the real name of Vishnuvardhan...), I want my son’s career to begin with that film,” he adds.
Though the producer and his son have gone through many scripts, one caught their attention. “Raghu, who has been working as an associate with director Shashank, has readied a fantastic script that suits the title Sampath Kuimar and I felt it will be a good start,” says Manju.
“Probably I will go with it, but the official announcement will be made after I get to the final reading, for which the script will be readied by April first week.”
Manju is excited about his son’s career in movies and says that Shreyas has always been part of theatre in school and has caught on the nuances of filmmaking. “He is trained in acting in Vizag, where all the Telugu heroes such as Mahesh Babu and Pawan Kalyan took lessons,” he says.
We hear even senior actor Dwarakish, who has seen Shreyas, was interested in launching him under his banner and had even thought of a title for the movie, Karna. “I am happy that such a senior filmmaker would want to launch my son,” says Manju. “I have heard the story, which is about love and action. But as of now, I want him to start with Sampath Kumar and then do the film by Dwarakish... we will decide on it soon.”