GANDHINAGAR: A make-up artiste with 40 years’ experience is now directing an unusual film about the early years of superstar Rajkumar.
K M Krishna has worked for 154 films, including blockbusters such as Mutthina Hara, and art-house classics such as Mane and Tabarana Kathe.
Making his directorial debut at 55, he has chosen to narrate the story of Rajkumar between 1930-1954, when his meteoric rise to fame had yet to begin.
Titled Kathanayakana Kathe (Hero’s Story), the film is being produced by KCN Chandrakshekar and is expected to go on the floors on January 20, 2016.
“Rajkumar is known to the world as an iconic actor. But most people are not aware of his life before he entered the film industry,” Krishna told City Express.
A good 72 books have been published on Rajkumar, but they do not focus on his early life.
“My film will talk more about Muthuraju than Rajkumar,” Krishna said. Born Muthuraju, the actor acquired the screen name of Rajkumar later.
Krishna has spent three researching, and is busy with pre-production work.
“I had interviewed Rajkumar for 36 hours and it was featured as a 52-part serial in 1992 on DD 1. Many people of that period, such as B Jayamma and B V Karanth, had shared with me their impressions of Rajkumar,” he said.
Krishna shows Rajkumar from birth till the time he turns 22, when he debuted as a hero in the mythological Bedara Kannappa (Kannappa the Hunter).
Rajkumar had studied only till the 3rd standard. Not many know that in 1952, Rajkumar’s father (Singanalluru Puttaswamayya) had taken him to Madras (now Chennai) and approached various producers and directors to give him a chance.
“Four or five people who knew Rajkumar as a friend and theatre artiste have shared interesting details. All of it will be revealed in my feature film,” he said.
Krishna is busy with the casting. He is looking for artistes to play Rajkumar at 10 and 22 years.
“We are also looking for characters who can play Gubbi Veeranna, Subbaiah Naidu, and Rajkumar’s brother and sister,” he said.