BENGALURU: One of Kannada cinema’s superstars, Upendra, owes his rise in films to a break he got from Kashinath. Speaking to The New Indian Express on Thursday, Upendra fondly remembered Kashinath and his contributions to cinema. “My existence is because of Kashinath. He was my Guru and my mentor. Whatever little I have achieved in cinema, he is the reason behind all of it,” Upendra said.
Reminiscing his initial days in the film industry, Upendra said, “I remember my first meeting with him, when I had taken everything I had written. He took it from me and asked me to come the next day. When I met him again, he said I should join him and assist him in his work. That’s when I started my journey as an assistant director.”
Upendra was in college when Kashinath gave him the opportunity to work. Upendra then went on to contribute a song ‘Come on, Come on, Kaamanna...!’ before Kashinath asked him to act in his film. “He taught me all the skills. His planning and scientific approach were the most important characteristics. Since he and I had the same thought process, we could connect well.”