It's all in the game

Demonetisation of high denomination notes has not left Sandalwood untouched, affecting the release of Kannada films.

The release of the much-hyped ‘John Jani Janardhan’ has been postponed due to the liquidity crunch. Director Guru Deshpande points out that he didn’t want to risk releasing the film at such a time. The film traces the life of three men whose only dream and aspiration is to travel to Pataya, shares Guru. “There are three men in the film who don’t care whether there are basic amenities at home or bother to look for a job but wish to make money to go on a holiday to Pataya. They use all kinds of means to make money,” adds Guru.

The director has carefully chosen actors Yogi, Ajai Rao and Krishna to play the characters of John, Jani and Janardhan because he didn’t want comedians to play the characters but actors who have never played such a role before because they add a sense of freshness to the role. “Actors who are known for comic roles may not work for these three characters because there will be an overdose of comedy. Seasoned actors always lend a unique flair to such roles,” says Guru.

The story takes a hilarious turn after the three men get caught in a complicated issue. “How they manage to wriggle out of the problem and whether they manage to go on their dream vacation to Pataya forms the crux of the film,” he says.

Actor Yogi essays the role of a physically-challenged person. “I don’t think anybody else could have pulled it off better. He is supposed to appear in a bent posture throughout the film and he did full justice to his role. Actors Ajay and Krishna have been given a complete makeover for their respective characters. Ajay has been given a clean-shaven look and has changed his hair style as well,” shares Guru.

The story also takes a dig at the poor fashion sensibilities of these young men. They wish to wear stylish clothes but end up picking up cheap alternatives.

“There’s a scene where they get floral suits made for themselves. This is a hilarious way of showing how they want to look stylish but fail to understand what comprises fashion and style,” explains Guru. The story is inspired by a Malayalam film but the contents have been tweaked to suit the local flavour.