JOIN USFor Harish Raj, playing a lead role in commercial film and a protagonist in an art cinema are both the same.
“It’s the story that is the hero of the film,” he says. “If the story is not engrossing, no amount of grandeur can save a film,” he adds.
Harish, who has been part of acclaimed Kannada art films like ‘Dweepa’, ‘Koormavatara’, ‘Kanooru Heggadithi’ and ‘Thaayi Saheba’, has equally enjoyed being part of commercial films like ‘Namo Bhoothatma’, ‘Power’ and several others.
“I have always been someone who is willing to try out different roles and challenge myself in my career,” says Harish.
Come February, Harish will be seen taking on three major roles in the film — ‘Shree Satyanarayana’. He will not only play the lead in the film but also direct and produce it.
He says playing all the three roles wasn’t as difficult as he thought it would be. “Since I am an actor myself, I could easily explain the scenes and characters to the other actors. Working with veteran actors made it all the more easy. But as a producer, this film was quite difficult as I was racing against time and deadlines. Putting everything in place and getting funds was difficult but thankfully, I managed to pull things off quite well.”
Yesteryear actors like Jai Jagadish, Ramakrishna and Chandrashekhar are also a part of this film.
Harish Raj will be seen romancing the pretty Ramya Barna who plays the role of a wealthy girl.
He says the film is meant for people of all age groups and the main message behind it is spirituality.
For someone who is deeply spiritual, making a film on spirituality was an instinctive call says Harish. “I believe there is a superpower who guides us to do the right things. This belief of mine has helped me reach where I am and I’m very thankful. Cinema is the largest medium to reach out to people and I too have tried to do the same. Through this film, I want to tell people that if you truly believe in something, it will definitely happen.”
Juggling between the roles of an actor, director and producer, Harish says, “Acting is my first love.”
He started as a theatre artiste and went on to become a television star. He slowly
moved to cinema and since then, there has been no looking back for the actor. Inspired by ace director Girish Kasaravalli, he says, “Girish Kasaravalli is my guru. His way of narrating a film is very different. It keeps you engrossed and his passion towards cinema has inspired me a lot.”