Preetham Gubbi is a writer and director who has a fascination for making films on love. This time, with Naanu Mattu Varalakshmi, he blends it with racing and gives it away with the tagline - Race for Love.
The director tells City Express why love makes the world go round. “Love has always been an inspiration. Even though this film has racing as the backdrop, it is about human emotions,” he says, “In the film, Prithvi is playing a small-time biker. His passion is not just biking but to be the best in the country. Why? For his love. He wants to give it all because of the girl, Varalakshmi.”
Preetham is proud to helm a subject on motocross racing and his inspiration is from his neighbourhood, Vijayanagar.
“Biking is a must in every youngster’s life,” he says, “A bike comes after the cycle. It teaches you many lessons, either it speeds you away or makes you fall. Every moment is cherished.”
Preetham, while directing Naanu Maattu Varalakshmi, had to deal with mud, bikes and racers.
“I spent almost 40 days of my life with a JCB and mud only to construct the track. Thinking of it gives me the goosebumps,” he says. “I don’t think, I can make another film like this. It requires so much of hardwork.”
But the happier side of doing this film was meeting the racers, he says. “I met international bikers and have managed to bring in 12 national and international-level riders into the film... Each rider has a unique style and attitude,” he says.
There will be three important races in the movie, he says, and they will feature all kinds of bikes... from a Yamaha RX 100 to a Harley Davidson.
The film produced by K Manjunath has Preetha Jayaram’s cinematography, stunts by Ravi Varma and music by V Harikrishna.