'Costumes make all the difference'

Gandhinagar Grapevine

The hat-trick star will don five different roles in his next film Shiva. And every character Shivanna plays will be a novel one. In one of them he essays a denim clad trishul wielding modern day Lord Shiva, in another a jockey and a ruthless villain. Last but not the least he’s a romantic too.

Shivanna has been always known to experiment and try out new roles and characters. This will be his 102 film. He says it’s the story that grabbed his attention. “It is an attempt to portray different shades of a character and that has been done in a very creative way,” Shivanna points out. As a jockey in the movie, Shivanna says, “I ride different characters - as a villain, a jockey, and a romantic. It’s refreshing. The costumes make all the difference. I have five different changes in the film.” 

Shivanna says that just as he has matured as an actor, the roles that come to him have also changed. The character in the film attempts no revolution but tries to bring about a certain change in society, he observes. “The screenplay has contributed to the largeness of the character. I have to emote three or four characters. It’s never constant. In one instance if I am angry, in the next scene I am supposed to appear romantic. It’s the portrayal of extreme emotions,” Shivanna says.

There are no elaborate preparations for the film. He points out that attitude matters a lot. “Much depends on how you can change mood quickly and getting around every character with ease is a challenge in itself. There’s no excess make up, I’ve stuck to the natural glow of the skin,” he says. 

Ragini Dwivedi who plays a girl working in a corporate office says, “It’s a stylish character. I’ve been given an makeover in the film, in terms of my hair and costume, we’ve gone the Bollywood way,” she avers. About her part she says, “My character keeps changing and the hero doesn’t suspect anything about me. I have a very suspicious side and that doesn’t come out till the end. My character will surely arouse a lot of curiosity.”

 She says that she always wanted to play a role that’s very different from what she’s done thus far. The mini skirts and ‘cleavage exposing’ costumes, that she will have to wear in a couple of scenes don’t bother her much.

“I am known for my good sense of dressing. The clothes are stylish but not vulgar, that makes all the difference,” she adds.

 Producer K P Srikant says the film will send out a good message to the young people, “Shivanna will appear in avatars that’s will ignite young minds. He does his bit to make a difference in society.”   The shooting begins in a week and the film will be shot in Bangalore, Mysore and China.