Yogaraj Bhat, who was ready to start the shooting for Gaalipata 2, has made a casting change. The multi-starrer, which marks the debut of prducer, Mahesh Danannavar, will see the return of the original cast -- Gaalipata lead actor Ganesh along with Diganth, in the sequel, replacing Sharan and Rishi. However, singer-actor Rajesh Krishnan will not be a part of the sequel, while Pawan Kumar will be a lead cast member.
Talks about the change have been doing the rounds over the last few days. And the production house now seems to have got clarity, and an official announcement will be made soon.
Producer Mahesh spoke to City Express about the reason for the change. “Last December, when an announcement was made about Yogaraj Bhat helming Gaalipata 2, and the film marking my debut as producer, it created a lot of buzz. However, the audience had a mixed reaction when it came to casting. Bhatru’s Gaalipata released in 2008 to positive reviews. Viewers appreciated the overall performance and connected with these actors, and expected to see the same set of stars in the sequel too. The director too felt the script wanted back the orginal cast. The purpose of a film is to entertain the audience, and we only want to go by their demands. After much thought, we decided that it’s best to have Ganesh and Diganth on board,” Mahesh said.
The producer added that it was a decision taken in consultation with the existing team, along with the new crew. “As artistes, they clearly understood the circumstances, and that, in fact, helped me as a producer and director Yogaraj Bhat to take a call.”
With Ganesh, Diganth and Pawan Kumar to be the lead actors of Gaalipata sequel, and Anant Nag playing a pivotal role, it now remains to be seen if the same female cast will be retained.