As Malashree takes charge of Ramu films, she picks up things from where her late producer husband, Ramu, had left them. She has her hands full with Arjun Gowda, an upcoming film, directed by Lucky Shankar and starring Prajwal Devaraj and Priyanka Thimmesh. The film is slated to be released on December 31. “Sometimes, I wonder if it is just me who is making this film work or is it Ramu guiding me through it,” says Malashree, who tells that her husband would discuss everything about movies, but never shared his stress with her.
“I was involved with him in film productions, and I have gained a little experience. However, talking on his behalf to people panics me. He would be always busy over the phone during the release times. And I used to complain that the phone has become his first wife. Today, as I deal with the release, I realise its importance,” she says.
Malashree wants to fulfill the wish of her husband which is to take Arjun Gowda to every Kannada audience. “With our previous films, he would let everything to the directors, but Arjun Gowda was special to him. He not only worked on the release front, but involved himself in direction, editing, and even poster designing of the film. He would talk about it to our daughter and take her to the editing room to get her opinion. Even during his last days in the hospital, he kept discussing the movie with the crew.”
Malashree says that Ramu had pinned high hopes on Arjun Gowda and would tell her that the film would become a big success. “His talks about Arjun Gowda created a lot of curiosity in me. I finally watched the film along with my children. It has come out well. Films made under Ramu’s banner were always a celebration, except for the last few times. However, Arjun Gowda will bring back the success. It is a mass commercial flick with a small message highlighting a lot about media. Prajwal has given his best, and Priyanka Thimmesh and the team have done a good job too,” she says.
When asked what is the challenging part in releasing a film, she says, “It is about getting the right kind of theatres. We lost many single screens due to covid crisis. Many such theatres are either closed down or under renovation. Also, promoting a film is another tough and vital task in today’s scenario.”
Going forward, Malashree wants to continue making films under their home banner. “I know about the struggles Ram went through to earn a name for this production house. I will continue to sustain that legacy, and Ramu will be around to guide me,” she signs off.