'We do what we like best'

The Kannada film industry has only a handful of women film directors and Roopa Iyer can be counted as one of the best.

Real-life stories excite Roopa and she goes all the way to make films based on them and shoot in great locations. The credit for Roopa’s hard work goes to the unconditional support of her parents.  Roopa is also on cloud nine these days because she just got engaged to Gowtham Srivatsa, a well-known technician and music director in the Kannada film industry.

The families of Roopa and Gowtham have known each other for a long time and both families are into film production and direction. Roopa confesses that she couldn’t have been happier. “Although, Gowtham and I have known each other for a long time, it's only after we worked together in ‘Chandra’ did we get close.

 I couldn’t have got a better life partner. Gowtham is in the same line of work and he understands my nature of work. He's very supportive,” Roopa confesses just after the engagement.     

Gowtham left a plush job in the software industry just to chase his passion for music and the arts. Roopa too didn’t think twice before pursuing her pet interests — films and social work.

 “We do what we like best. Roopa would be the first to fight for a social cause and I believe someone who is sensitive to problems in society will also be sensitive to problems in the family. We are both committed to our work and respect each other’s families as well,” shares Gowtham. 

Roopa observes that Gowtham’s family was into film production and direction much before she entered the film industry. 

“My parents-in-law are open-minded. In fact, one of the first things that my mother-in-law gifted me was a pair of shorts and Gowtham gave me a pocket size Bhagavad Gita. The two gifts are very special in their own way. My mother-in-law always says that youngsters must dress like their age and be full of life. She’s very encouraging,” she says.

   Gowtham says both of them don’t mix up their personal and professional life. “When it comes to work we focus on it and when we’re taking a break, we try not to talk about work as much as we can,” he notes.

 The best way to keep a relationship in tact is to trust each other, says the couple. “You have to trust each other and I believe that giving each other enough space and being respectful works well,” states Gowtham. The wedding is on August 6 in Bangalore.