We had previously reported that Prajwal Devaraj’s 40th project will be directed by one-film-old director Gurudatha Ganiga. The film’s title, Karavali, was unveiled amidst fanfare in Mangaluru on Sunday. The first look poster, accompanied by an intriguing teaser, hints at an intense action narrative set in the coastal belt. The plot revolves around Kambala, a popular race in Tulunadu, earlier glorified in Rishab Shetty’s Kantara.
The teaser promo of Karavali offers a glimpse into the film’s alluring world and reveals Prajwal Devaraj’s unique appearance. The tagline Human v/s Animals symbolises the birth of two new lives - a mother giving birth to her child and a buffalo giving birth to its calf - hinting at the relationship, and conflicts between humans and animals.
Gurudatha Ganiga, who debuted with the Ambareesh starrer Ambi Ning Vayassaytho, wears multiple hats for Karavali as a writer, director, and producer. Sharing his insight into the project’s conception, Gurudatha says, “The original plotline is by Chandrashekar Bandiyappa. It is a unique story for me and holds special significance as it is based on an incident that took place in my hometown. I’ve wanted to bring this film to the screen for a long time but was unsure of its reception by the audience. However, we have realised that today’s audience, post-Covid, has evolved. They are seeking content, and I am confident they will embrace this kind of subject wholeheartedly. That’s the strength we get from the Kannada audience. Even if I have told this plot to around 9 people, they’ve mentioned not hearing a similar story before. So, it’s rooted in culture, spanning from Karavali to Kasaragod to Bhatkal. There are numerous stories to explore from the coastal belt, and this is among the first of its kind,” he expresses.
Regarding working with Prajwal Devaraj, he shares, “He has never experienced such a subject. We’ll be exploring a different side of him, unexplored thus far, through Karavalli. This film will delve into the uncharted territories of Prajwal’s capabilities.”
The film, produced by Gurudatha Ganiga Films, in association with VK Films, Karavali will have Abhimanyu Sadanand handling cinematography, art by Guna and music will be scored by Sachin Basrur.