Bits of the Krishna Ajai Rao- and Amulya-starrer Krishna Rukku, directed by Anil Kumar, were shot with a tiger on the sets.
Its producer Uday Mehta shares some behind-the-scenes experiences with City Express.
A few portions were filmed at a 300-year-old house at the foothills of Mullayanagiri, the highest peak in Karnataka. Another house was erected opposite it for the production.
While shooting there, some main crew members realised it was a tiger-prone area but kept this information to themselves.
“We shot there for 14 days. One day, a Range Officer came to the spot and told the owner of the homestay that a tiger was seen wandering in and around the house,” says Mehta.
This was the last day of the shoot. “The previous night, the tiger ventured into the house, and the owner of homestay informed our executive producer, who told us,” the producer says.
The core members of the team, however, were keen on completing shooting without creating fear among the rest of the cast and crew. “So we told them to walk in groups, not to wander alone, and we managed to complete our schedule. It was exciting, knowing danger was so close at hand,” says Mehta.
Later, he says, the team heard that “tigers roam as freely as cats at this location since it’s only 18 km from Muthodi Wildlife Sanctuary”. “It was definitely a thrilling experience to hear about and be around tigers, even though we didn’t spot any.”
Fresh Water
The team shot a sequence with Ajai at a waterfall hitherto unexplored, the producer says.
“Since it is a private property, not a tourist spot, this locale is unique to our film,” he says.
The opening and climax scenes have been shot here, he adds. “For a half-a-minute shot, we had to spend nearly 45 minutes, with Ajai taking the risk of getting to the top. It was like an adventure because we had to do rock climbing carrying equipment.”
The director, Mehta says, wanted to film at the centre of the falls, to which Ajai obliged. “It will be breath-taking for viewers. Everybody who sees the film will talk about it,” he says.