Sadhu Kokila is indeed blessed, for he is capable of bringing an entire theatre to laughter by his mere presence. And when he is at his best, he helps overcome difficulties and leaves hearts contended, even if it is for a short time. But Sadhu reveals a dual personality when it comes to direction. With about eight films in his directorial kitty and as many as 30 films on his musical shelves, he reserves his comical image and transforms into a professional who means business.
With Bhale Jodi, his next directorial releasing next week, he tells City Express about the need for a dual image. “Direction is not comedy and seriousness develops in me because of the responsibility I take up to get a good output,” says the director.
For the multitalented personality, who used to direct dramas when in school, Sadhu has evolved to understand that as a director, his leadership cannot be toned down by his comical persona. “Like the captain of a ship, a director should be the captain of a film and lead the team in making a good film,” he says and credits his directorial success to Upendra, who he considers his guru. “I follow his tips to the core. He had once told me that a director should not trust anybody and he should even be ready to sweep the floor on his own to ensure timely completion of the project. We have to keep all intellectual capacities open while doing a film,” he says.
Speaking about Bhale Jodi, a remake of Telugu film, Ala Modalaindi, Sadhu asserts that he has tried to bring in a sense of freshness through his vision. “It is an interesting romcom. And the plus-point for the Telugu version was Nithya Menen, a wonderful artiste,” he says but is quick to point out that his lead cast of Sumanth Shailendra and Shanvi Srivastava have enough potential to make an equal impact. “Though Sumanth is two to three films old, for me he is still a youngster entering tinsel town. So the challenge was more evident. In fact, when I took up the film, I had told the producer, Shailendra, who is Sumanth’s father, that he has handed over his son to me and it will be my responsibility to get him ready as a good performer and I think I have managed to mould him to an extent,” he adds.
Sadhu, who is not new with remakes, having made Superro Ranga, a remake of Kick, contends that while he is not totally for remakes, the challenge that certain scripts bring is what attracts him. And no wonder, the industry flocks around him knowing that he can bring the best flavour in Kannada. “Technically, when a difficult film has to be remade in Kannada, they feel that Sadhu can make it with ease. So they approach me,” he says.
My Comedy is Sometimes Taken for Granted
Although comedy is his forte, Sadhu feels that his image has been taken for granted by some filmmakers. “If I stop to make people laugh, they will come and throw stones in front of my house. I am here to entertain but at times, I feel that a couple of directors have taken me for granted. But at the same time, I have filmmakers who feel that my presence can be the game-changer. These days, I make sure that I check my role before I sign. However, there are a few filmmakers who consider me as an actor and thread my comedy into the film and the latest example is Shivalinga directed by P Vasu,” he says.