Director Prem has always gotten attention for the innovativeness he brings to his films, and now, he is creating a similar buzz for his upcoming film, The Villain, in which he’s taking a whole new approach.
While the two leading actors, Shivarajkuamr and Sudeep, will be seen in different avatars in the film, Prem creates a nostalgic mood in a scene starring Shivarajkumar and Amy Jackson, in which the audience will get nostalgic and remember Jeeva Hoovagide Bhava Jenagide from the film Nee Nanna Gelalare, starring Rajkumar and Manjula.
A picture City Express got hold has Shivarajkumar as a younger version of Rajkumar, and Amy as Manjula. Prem has replicated the costumes too, with a safari suit and white saree worn by the yesteryear actors. “How much ever I try to hold it as a secret, somehow a few pictures get leaked, and I can’t undo that. I somehow managed to keep Sudeep’s new look a secret, but this went out of my hands,” says Prem, who is excited with this particular sequence, and says it blends with the story.
“It will be a tribute to all Rajkumar and Shivarajkumar fans when they see the actor channelling his father’s look. It is like seeing Rajkumar on screen. I have watched the sequences at least 15 times from morning, and can’t get enough of if. In fact, Amy, while watching the monitor, was jumping all over excitedly. She watched the song sequence and tried to emote in the same way, she is too good in the sequence,” he says.
With the current schedule wrapping up in five days, Prem will be completing the talkie portions of The Villain, and will be left with four songs - two with Shivanna and Sudeep each. Amy will be left with a song with Sudeep, for which she will be back some time next month,” says Prem.
The Villain, produced by CR Manohar, comes with a huge star cast, including Mithun Chakraborty and Telugu actor Srikanth among others. The film has music by Arjun Janya and cinematography by Gire.