Raju Kannada medium, directed by Narendra Kumar and starring Gurunandan, had piqued audience interest with its trailers, but it is now in the news for all the wrong reasons. Avantika Shetty, who has played the lead role along with Ashika Ranganath and foreign model Angelina Desedina has openly expressed her displeasure about working on the film and has even filed a case against the movie’s producer.
Avantika tweeted at length about the alleged mistreatment she faced from the director and producer K Suresh while shooting Raju Kannada Medium. The actress filed a case against the producer for issued a cheque that bounced and for non-payment of her dues. Avantika is yet to dub for the movie, but now has been disallowed from completing it. Meanwhile City Express spoke to the actress, the director and producer, who have shared their version of the tale.
Movie drove me to depression: Avantika Shetty
Avantika says that most of her portions, except for the montage and one scene, are done. “So it is definitely wrong to say that I am out of the film,” she says. “If they want to take me out, the production house is free to do, provided they take out all the portions in which I appear and reshoot them. If they want retain my bits then they should also allow me to dub for them, going by the contract we have signed.”
The actress says that this project has hurt her mentally and physically, and has even driven her to depression. “There were so many problems that cropped up during the making but I didn’t want to make a fuss because people tend to think that we do it for the publicity. I even tried to sort it out amicably, but the producer didn’t reciprocate,” she says. “The team expected me to be friendly and not professional. I am cordial, but I cannot be friendly.”
Avantika says that when she had signed the contract last July she had mentioned that dates may clash with her other film Rajaratha. “Then the team of Raju Kannada Medium had said that they were ready to adjust their schedule,” she says. “They were not particular about making a contract, but I was keen and got that done. From July 2016 to Febuary 2017, I have been in touch with the producer and have been blocking dates, only to know that the shooting would not be happening then.”
The actress also says that they did not allow her to act instead expected her to “be a puppet” in front of the camera. She alleges that, in a film unit, technicians make unwanted passes and “touch” without her permission. “I retaliated and reported this to the director and he dismissed it saying ‘lets discuss later’. That’s the one of the reasons I stayed back in my vanity van all the time and got out only when the shot was ready,” she says.
She says that there were also disagreements about her costume. “There is a thin line between sexy and modern,” she says. “Just to look sexy, we can’t be nude and I objected to that demand. It came to a point where I had to bring my own costumes. They even said, ‘Bombay artistes do everything, why can’t you’. I used to prepare for shots and they were never taken, there was no communication between the Assistant Directors and the director. After all this, they call me unprofessional and a ‘small actor’!”.
After 10 years in the industry, she says that she was disappointed with the treatment she was given on this set. “To me, acting is a form of worhip and I can’t disrespect it. I have taken a while to get where I am and they cannot demean that,” she says.
I will request the chamber to ban her for one or two years: Producer K Suresh
Suresh says that he can’t work with the actress anymore and, in fact, has managed to rework the story by reshooting the portions without her. “I can’t work with her anymore,” he says. “There are no dues, I have cleared her payment. We had asked for 40 days but she shot 15 days only and we have paid for that... in fact I paid her more than that.
The cheque bounced because I told the bank to stop payment. Though the agreement says that she will dub, I don’t want her to after all this. But it will be decided at the court and at the Chamber. But if you ask me, I am not comfortable (with this disagreement). I have made big films and I don’t want to harm her image,” he says. Suresh plans to request the Chamber to ban the actress for few years. “I incurred losses because Avantika she did not give the dates we wanted,” he says. “I am also submitting a letter to the Chamber asking it to ban her from the industry for one or two years. Everything will depend on what happens in the court and the discussion that takes place at the Chamber.”
I will talk to filmmakers and artiste today: Sa Ra Govindu
The matter has reached the Chamber and the artiste, producer and director have been called for a meeting today. “I will first listen to all their problems and what difficulties each faced, and then take a decision,” says Sa Ra Govindu. “I will make sure that I give a fair judgement.”
She was unhappy working in Raju Kannada Medium: Director Naresh Kumar
The director Naresh Kumar says that the actress used to arrive late on the sets and she used to “waste time but locking herself inside the caravan”. He adds, “As an artiste, we expect her to work with the team but she did not do that... If she is ready to dub, we can arrange for that. But Suresh should decide whether she should be allowed to do it, he is the producer.” Naresh says that these troubles popped up three months ago and expresses surprise that these are being revived during the time of the movie’s release. “I dont’ want to blame anyone and can only narrate events as they happened. But now the producer and the actress have to arrive at a decision... Raju Kannada Medium does not need these gimmicks for promotion,” he says.