Hebbuli all Set to Roll

Sudeep, who plays the lead, has given five months to director Krishna. Crew members are now being hired

Director S Krishna can heave a sigh of relief and get busy with roping in the cast and crew  for his film with Sudeep. Having waited for his schedule for some time, he has got bulk dates of five months for the film Hebbuli.

With plans to start the shoot from mid-February, Krishna has signed up actor Ravi Shankar and is looking for another well known actor, who will be playing a pivotal role with Sudeep in the film which has a theme that revolves around the army.

On the technical front, after confirming Arjun Janya as the music director, the director has chosen A Karunakar, who has been associated with Krishna right from his first film, as the cinematographer. According to Karunakar, the relation has grown since the time they were at the Film & Television Institute. “He was my senior,” says the cinematographer.

The upcoming technician who was part of Jai Lalitha and the recent Sharp Shooter is excited to be associated with Hebbuli and glad to be working with Sudeep.

“My relationship with the cinematographer-turned-director is like that of a guru and sishya. I have developed a comfort zone with Krishna and have analysed his working style. So I know what he is expecting from a cameraman. Hebbuli will be a challenge because it is a big film with Sudeep in the lead but since Krishna is also a cinematographer, there will some comfort level amid all the brainstorming sessions,” he says.

The initial schedule will be in Bengaluru and Mysuru and then the team will head for Jammu and Kashmir, where they will be shooting in army camps.

“We have been visualising the frames for the last eight months,” he says.

Sudeep’s Military Avatar

The actor will be seen as an army officer which requires him to have short hair. And that is one of the reasons for the delay in the photo-shoot. “He has major fight sequences for Kotigobba  2 which requires his long-haired look.

Once he is done with the film, he is free for a makeover. A few major portions will be shot in Jammu and Kashmir in March with real life army officers at a camp, for which the team has sought permission,” says a member from the crew.

In the meantime, the actor will also be shooting for Oh My God remake in Kannada, which the makers will plan to start in January.