BANGALORE: Apruva Kasaravalli, son of award winning director Girish Kasavaralli is all set to helm the camera for his debut Niruttara. And it is obviously challenging for him, with comparisons with his father already beginning to emerge.
But Apurva is unfazed. "At the end of the day, I want to tell a story. Our approaches are different. When you have a father who is in the same field and has achieved so much, the pressure is always there," he says.
Apruva, who has worked with his father and a few others, feels that while his work will be influenced by all those he has been associated with, at the end of the day, it will be his film. “I used to work for V K Prakash in advertising. I have also worked with people in Mumbai, Chennai and with a South Korean director. So the osmosis will be natural. But I cannot ape them," says Apurva.
Apurva is aware that the audience for his kind of cinema is niche but he is mature about it. “Basically, you need to educate the audience that there are films to be watched beyond commercial films. For example, in Kerala, the audience watches a typical masala film with the same reverence as they watch Adoor's film. You need to generate some interest in them," he says.
Talking about Niruttara, Apurva says that the story is based on a novel written by Vikram Hatwar and revolves around four characters involved in a relationship conflict. “When looking for answers becomes a question..that is Niruttara. The cast includes Aindrita Ray as Shravya, a documentary filmmaker, Bhavana as Hamsa who is a house wife and also a Hindustani classical singer and Kiran Srinivas as Achith, a guitarist. We are in talks with Rahul Bose for the role of Pradeep, vice president of a software company," reveals Apruva, adding, "We have planned a 50 day schedule and will can the major portions in Bangalore with other locations being Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Goa."
He has built his own team for the film except for a few like cinematographer H M Ramachandra, who has worked with his father. “He will do justice to my visuals. Plus it is the comfort level you share with a person. We have also roped in fusion artist Neeladri Kumar, who will be composing the music for us. Editing will be done by Mohan Kamashi while Oscar award winner Resul Pookutty will design the sound," he says.
Apurva remembers his mother, Vaishali Kasaravalli as the greatest driving force behind his creativity.
"I would have loved her to be there. She knew that I would turn director some day. She knew eventually I would make films and would always encourage me," he signs off.