For director , life is categorised before and after 바카라바카라, a film that came out of nowhere in 2013 and attained cult status. The film is also widely believed to have kickstarted the 바카라new wave바카라 in the Kannada film industry.
Given that, it comes as no surprise when you learn that Pawan Kumar named his daughter Lucia.
바카라I think I will always be associated with this film. Even after 10 years, every time I meet some new talent, there are invariably questions about it. Sometimes it surprises me that I still get this sort of attention for the film even after a decade,바카라 says Pawan Kumar.
So influential 바카라Lucia바카라 was, that when it had a limited release in select theatres of Bengaluru, Mysore and Mangalore, for nearly a week in mid-September to celebrate its 10th anniversary, it drew hardcore fans all over again.
바카라We were thrilled to be able to get another theatrical release amid many big films being released at the same time. And it was a very satisfying moment to see it again with the audience because it's been so long that I have forgotten how we made it and why we made it. So, it was a great experience to see the film with others and understand why it has been so special for people,바카라 says Pawan Kumar.
Before 바카라Lucia바카라 was 바카라Lifeu Ishtene바카라 (2011), his debut as director, a dark comedy that managed to win the hearts of both the critics and the audience. What followed 바카라Lucia바카라 was another winner in 바카라U-Turn바카라 in 2016. A film with a strong social message that could have easily turned preachy if not for the pithy script.
Following its success in Kannada, 바카라U-Turn바카라 was remade in Tamil and Telugu in 2018, with Samantha Ruth Prabhu playing the lead, and in Hindi this year with Alaya F playing the lead. While Pawan directed the Tamil and Telugu version, Hindi rights were sold to Ekta Kapoor바카라s Balaji Telefilms.
Perhaps it was the confidence gained from directing in languages not familiar with, Pawan said when he was approached for directing 바카라Dhoomam바카라 in Malayalam, released in theatres in July, he did not need much convincing. That Fahadh Faasil would be playing the lead, sealed the deal for him.
But unfortunately, despite being eagerly awaited by both his and Faasil바카라s fans, the film could not create ripples in box-office.
Pawan Kumar admits that somewhere the audience felt a disconnect, especially with the dialogues. 바카라Language posed a bigger problem than I had imagined. I couldn바카라t judge the way the dialogues sounded as I could with Kannada,바카라 says Pawan Kumar.
The film was a setback, but Pawan Kumar has already taken it in his stride. 바카라When I started, I did want to make films for all the audience, but I realised soon that it was an impossible task. These days, I am happy if what I make resonates with a good chunk of the audience.바카라
Irrespective of box-office numbers, Pawan Kumar says he will keep tackling socio-economic and political issues that he identifies the most with through his films. For instance, U-Turn is about obeying traffic rules and 바카라Dhoomam바카라 about the evils of tobacco consumption.
바카라As I have a clear idea about what I want to talk about, what is working with the audience doesn바카라t really matter. At most, it serves as a kind of check to understand what they want. But I may not necessarily want to give them that,바카라 says Pawan Kumar.
According to him, his personal life has a bigger role to play than trending topics in why he chooses to explore something. 바카라For instance, these days my daughter has an effect on how I want to take my filmmaking forward,바카라 says Pawan Kumar.
The more you speak to Pawan, the more you realise that he yearns for 바카라Lucia바카라 days and not just because the film put him in the spotlight. Things were a lot simpler then, he tells you wistfully. 바카라Making your film reach the audience has become very complicated now,바카라 says Pawan Kumar.
바카라I cannot imagine making a 바카라Lucia바카라 now. Our total budget was only Rs 50 lakh, which we raised by crowdfunding. These days, just to market the film we have to spend three times that,바카라 he adds.
But time has also been of great help, he says, to come to terms with certain things about the industry. 바카라I used to blame the producers for not backing quality content. But I get them now. At the end of the day, it바카라s a business and they want their money back. So, if the audience is demanding something, they are bound to give it to them," says Pawan Kumar.
As for his kind of films, things are not very bleak either, he says. 바카라With many more unconventional platforms available, success of a film at box-office is not as important as earlier. Quality content quietly goes about winning hearts,바카라 says Pawan Kumar.
