Chandan Kumar does not chalk Prema Baraha to sheer luck or coincidence. “It is a reward for my years of hardwork,” says the TV serial artiste turned actor.
In 2017, when he was trying to leverage the popularity he gained from the Bigg Boss show, Chandan was offered this movie. “I got to work in a big film, under a big banner, and above all, and I couldn’t have asked for any better filmmaker than Arjun Sarja. He has put in his life time of experience into this film,” he says.
The actor believes that this bilingual movie, to be made in Kannada and Tamil, was tailormade for him. “I was picked for the role, after auditions, by Arjun Sarja. Right from that moment he ensured that I was given training in stunts and dancing, and that I was familiarised with the sets. In fact, he also enrolled me into a Tamil class. It is very rare that an actor is given training from scratch so that he slips into the character, in my case Sanjay, before going to the sets. All this was possible only because of Arjun Sir,” he says.
This a love story with a thread of patriotism woven in. Chandan, as Sanjay, is a stringer who has been asked to cover a war. While on this assignment, he meets his love ... played by Aishwarya Arjun.
“I believe that I gave my best to the character, especially in the dance and stunt sequences, which I was earlier weak in. I analysed my performance against my last six films,” he says.
Chandan is waiting to see the audience response to this movie before deciding on his next project. He says, “Every good cinema takes time. And since it is from Arjun Sarja, it has been worth the wait,” he says.
Prema Baraha marks Chandan’s debut in Tamil. Would he be open to working in movies in other languages? “I am open to do a film in any number of languages provided it will also be done in Kannada,” he says.
‘I am at loss for words to explain how I feel’
With Prema Baraha in Kannada and Sollavidava in Tamil to be released this Friday, Aishwarya tells us that this film directed by father Arjun Sarja is special for more than a couple of reasons This Friday will be special for Aishwarya Arjun. Prema Baraha, made by her father Arjun Sarja for her, will release this week.
She says, “I should admit that I cannot express how I feel at this moment. There’s no fear or anxiety… but I am not able to find the words for it. I am also excited”.
The bilingual film, made in Kannada and Tamil and under the home banner, had a huge budget at its disposal. “It is a little scary when we think about it,” she says, adding, “but we are equally confident that we have a good product in hand and we have a sense of satisfaction too. It is my Kannada debut, and people here will be watching me for the first time”. Aishwarya says that she feels sentimentally attached to this movie as well, since it is a gift to her from her father.
“I grew up watching his films and now I get to act in his directorial… it is a big thing. This is two years of hardwork will be out for everyone to watch,” she says. As a moviegoer, Aishwarya says that Prema Baraha will be a different love story. “Generally such movies are made in other languages and set in other cultures. We had only one movie to refer to and this was a classic in itself. Like my father rightly says, ‘It is a fiction, against a non-fictional backdrop’. Every element has been beautifully woven in. The first half has light-hearted comedy and each scene in the second half is moving. It will be very difficult for a moviegoer to check their tears,” she says. The film has music by Jessie Gift and cinematography by Venu C.