Politician HD Kumaraswamy, also a well-known producer and distributor, will be bankrolling a project directed by S Narayan. The film will be based on the novel Hejje by National Award winner Vyasaraya Ballal. Confirming the news to CE, S Narayan reveals that the duo was planning to make the film even back in 2005. They also had plans of roping in Kamal Haasan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for the lead roles. Girish Karnad and Ambarish Puri were also considered for prominent characters in the film back then when the two legends were alive.
“We had planned to make a pan-Indian film. However, HD Kumaraswamy became the CM of Karnataka, and got busy with his political career,” says S Narayan, who has directed three films under HD Kumaraswamy’s production banner , Chennambika Films (Suryavamsa, Chandra Chakori, and Galate Aliyandiru) Now, the director is excited to associate with the producer once again after 17 years. “As a team, we both have done well at the box office, and I hope history repeats again,” says the director.
Talking about the details of the project, S Narayan says, “Things are at a very preliminary stage, and we haven’t discussed the casting yet. I have a green signal from the producer for this now, and the rest of the things will follow suit. The title and other details will be decided once I have the bound script in hand.”
S Narayan says that HD Kumaraswamy’s return to cinema as a producer is a good thing for the Kannada industry. “He is a disciplined producer and a project made under his banner will certainly create curiosity amongst the audience,” says S Narayan. He also adds that Kumaraswamy being a voracious reader will add value to the film, which will be a novel adaptation. Meanwhile, S Narayan has wrapped up the shoot of his next project 5D, featuring Aditya and Adhiti Prabhudeva. He will soon start the post-production work of the film.