Sunil Kumar Desai, who is known for helming films like Tarka, Utkarsha, Sparsha, Beladingala Baale and Nammoora Mandara Hoove, took a long hiatus after the 2007 release of Kshana Kshana. Having shelved two projects in between, the director is back with ...Re, which according to few reports is thematically similar to Badal Sircar’s play Ballabpurer Roopkatha.
According to the director, one of the shelved project Thandana Thandana which was thought about three years ago has been renamed ...Re, which means ‘If’. According to Desai, the film revolves around love and marriage and the director asserts that the supposition, ‘If’ plays a vital role in the way we think about the world and describe it to others, which is the theme of the film.
“This film will bring a sense of realisation to people. Though I do not believe in advising people through my films, the audience will definitely take home a message with ...Re,” he says.
The crux of ...Re is love and marriage woven through comedy, says the director and adds, “Tying a mangalsutra alone doesn’t complete a marriage. According to Indian custom, there are so many rituals followed while getting married, which are meant to be followed when leading a married life. This does not exist is
Western culture, but still they live together. We all know Radha and Krishna never got married but still we worship the two as a pair. So, it is all about living a happy life together and only then can a marriage work,” explains Desai.
Further delving into the title, the directors states that often one finds it difficult to find an answer for ‘If’ in life. “We go back to the past and think, ‘If I had done this past’, though we know that time cannot be rewinded, but still we do not forget about it. This strange situation, I think, makes the word more profound in our lives” says the director.
The film has Anant Nag and Ramesh Aravind, who according to Desai have justified their roles. Re also has Uncle Lokanath, G K Govinda Rao, Master Hirannaiah, Ramesh Bhatt, Shivaram, Suman Nagarkar and Harshika Poonacha among others. The film Re marks a comeback of music director Hamsalekha, who has written and composed two songs for the film.
About his next, Sunil remarks with a chuckle, “‘If’ this film does well, I plan for a suspense thriller.”