S Narayan made his directorial debut with Chaitrada Premanjali in 1992 and till date has managed to pull off house full shows with good subjects and remakes.
And, when the director got a script like Marathi blockbuster, Sairat, he compared it to his own film, Chelluvina Chittara, which also is a romantic story. Narayan who has helmed the Kannada version titled Manasu Mallige is excited about the release, this week.
“It does not matter what language the original script is in. Feelings are not bound by a certain period, language or time. When a person is born on this planet, he or she feels has wishes, has hunger and is used to sleeping. Likewise, love too is an eternal feeling that cannot perish,” Narayan tells City Express.
He adds, “Making a love story is a formula for success, but as a director, the onus is on me to ensure that the story is treated well and is presented before the audience in the correct way.”
The director opines, irrespective of the number of films he has directed, every subject is a fresh one for him, which he says can be observed by watching his movies. “Those who have watched Sairat, watching its Kannada version, they will understand the effort that has gone into the making. A lot of changes has been done before bringing it to our audience,” says Narayan.
According to him, when scripts arrive for a remake, he ensures that the roots of the original subject are not disturbed. “I make the changes to match our local nativity and work in that boundary,” he says.
Narayan who has a high success rate when it comes to remaking other langage films in Kannada, tells us that he doesn’t remake a film, but reworks on it.
“Films that have been a replica of the original have never run and needs to be reworked. The characters will be created around the actors, and when it changes hands, the same characters should be re-created based on the actor’s strengths and weaknesses. With remakes,
one is bound to raise comparisons. Hence, we should try to create a film that is better then the original,” he says.Though Sairat is also based on honour killings and casteism, Narayan has not highlighted the issue as much as it has been in the original. “I like feeding people what they like to eat and don’t want to give them something that will cause indigestion,” he says.
Were newcomers Nishanth and Rinku Rajaguru, able to match Narayan’s experience? “Newcomers have a fear to do well and their enthusiasm to be recognised as established actors, becomes a plus point for the director and the film,” he says.
Lastly, he credits producer Rockline Venkatesh, who added value to Manasu Mallige. “He didn’t think twice to invest in newcomers and even spent around ` 1 crore in bringing out good music. He demands quality films and fine production, which can be witnessed in the film. I have shot the film in around 32 places and it was only possible with Venkatesh’s support,” says Narayan.
“Till date, I have done four films with him, neither he or I have laid down any conditions. We respect each
other’s creative opinions and work accordingly,” he signs off.