Filmmaker Ravi Srivatsa, known for Deadly Soma, returns with Gangs of UK, set to release on April 10. His films have often dealt with violence, but he insists it has never been without reason. This time, he says, the story demanded it.
“Gangs of UK shows bloodshed because the story needed it. I can’t take that away. Violence leaves a trace; vengeance doesn’t stop with one person. It passes on,” he explains. The film is based on a real incident that took place near Pillari Falls in Bagalkot and centres on a woman who survived a brutal assault and chose to stay away from public attention. “She told me not to reveal her identity. I have respected that. In the film, she is called Kali,” he says.
What stayed with him was a question she asked. “She said, ‘If my children ask who their father is, whom should I show?’ I didn’t have an answer,” he admits. The incident dates back to when she was in her mid-20s. “She was attacked by nine men. Her face was smashed with a stone,” Ravi says, adding, “Today, she lives away from all this, raising her children.” He also recalls a detail that found its way into the film. “A khaki uniform was used to cover her. She wore it for nearly three years. People thought she was a beggar. That stayed with me,” he adds.
For Ravi, the story is about what follows violence. “One act leads to another. That is what we have tried to show,” he says. When asked how much he enjoys exploring grey characters, he refers to Deadly Soma. “When I met Soma, I saw a different side to someone people had already judged. That has stayed with me. Likewise, when I met this woman, it led to Gangs of UK,” he says. The film features Orata Prashanth, Sonu Upadhya, Srinagar Muni, Jyothi Shetty, Kote Prabhakar, and Padma Vasanthi, along with Amogh and Ravi Srivatsa himself in a key role.
The film has music by V Sukumar, cinematography by R. Giri, and editing by LN Reddy. Produced by Ranganath Ravindra under the Deadly Arts banner, the film may also lead into a second part. “Her story doesn’t end here,” Ravi says, adding, “It is a story many know, but don’t talk about,” he signs off.