Senior Kannada actor Ravichandran is trying to recapture his youth with his latest film Apoorva. Although the film sees him playing his actual age, his thoughts seem to be those of a teenager. “It is a rather unique role as I am 24-year-old in my head even though I am 54 years,” says Ravichandran. The actor also reveals the reason behind doing this film. “Some time back, I was making my way back home in my car after dinner and got stuck in a downpour. There was thunder and lightning and even though there were people on the road, I felt a sudden fear. So I switched on the radio and coincidentally there was a song from Premaloka that was playing. The lyrics which said ‘Edu Nana nina Premageethe chinna’ (this is our love song), brought me out of my fear and also made me relive my Premaloka days. Something came over me after this and I wrote the script for Apoorva like a man possessed over seven or eight days. And today, I am on the verge of presenting my vision to the audience,” he explains.
Apoorva is a unique in many ways because the film was shot over a period of 125 days and at least 75 per cent of it is inside a lift! This lift was set up on the terrace of Ravichandran’s own house. “We shot from 9 am to 6 pm inside that lift,” says Ravichandran who is doing the final mixing and sound editing of the film.
“Apart from the hero and heroine, other ‘characters’ in my film are a fan and colourful pieces of paper. The film is not just about the actors being in the lift, but also about taking the audience there. In fact, the perspective is that of the viewer. That is a new experience for people as well as for me. The idea behind the film is to create a deep impact and touch an emotional chord within. When you leave the theatre after watching Apoorva, there should be a little bit of sadness that you carry with you. We all work on romantic entertainers, but Apoorva’s approach to love is entirely different,” he says.
The film is full of positive energy, admits Ravichandran and adds, “Everything started off in a good way. People wholeheartedly participated in the film and big actors like Sudeep and Vijay Raghavendra joined in without much convincing. There is a whole list of people who appear only as voices and some have a visual context. I would want to keep the plot and actors as a surprise that will be revealed on the release date,” he says.
“The songs of this film are romantic melodies and I am confident that even if people are busy with their work lives, they will be drawn in by this music,” he adds.
Ravichandran will release the audio in the next 15 days and the film will come out in March.
“I have done this film with a lot of love and I want all the people who watched Premaloka to come with their families to see the old Ravichandran in a new love story.”
Ravichandran, who is one of the most popular actors in the Kannada industry today, is making his presence felt everywhere. The actor who is busy with direction, acting, writing and composing music, has taken on one more responsibility.
He is making an entry into the small screen as a judge for a Dance reality show Dancing Stars - Season 2 that will soon be aired on ETV channel. “This year I had a resolution to be everywhere and meet as many people as possible. The question is not about the big screen or the small screen, it is about meeting and interacting with my fans who have loved me and been with me for years. So this time, apart from my various films, I have entered radio and television and also become active on Facebook and Twitter. Parameshwar of ETV is my long time close friend and when he approached me to be a judge for this show, I immediately agreed as it fit in with my resolution,” says Ravichandran.