Upendra is never in a hurry to either act or direct. In his latest directorial release ‘Uppi2’, the star has left no stone unturned to ensure the movie lives up to his reputation of being an engrossing storyteller.

“My thought and philosophy had to reflect in the script. A lot of people have been talking about the different looks I’ve sported in the film but I would say that the content scores over the rest,” he says. The film crossed Rs three and a half crore on the first day of its release in Karnataka and the first estimated returns of the worldwide release on the first day is Rs five and a half crore.

The actor has not only directed the film but has written the script as well. “It took me a long time to get started on the project because I had to understand how to convey a simple thought and make all the characters in the movie appear larger than life,” he says. The film is produced by his wife Priyanka Upendra.

He says that he has had to divide his attention among a lot of things. “I want to take my time to make movies because they are not only about telling a story but touching people’s lives as well. The idea of the movie is to provoke people to think about and live in the present.”

He has been acting for more than 10 years now and adds that he always strives to strike a balance between acting and directing. Upendra is a man of few words but when he talks, he makes his point. There’s a great deal of care and thought that encompasses this actor. “It has been a week since the release of the film so I don’t want to talk much about it. I want people to interpret the film in their own way. It is people’s acceptance that matters the most,” he says.

And certainly here, the content is the ‘real star.’ His fans and those in the Kannada industry vouch that Upendra has conveyed through this film that people must learn to live and enjoy the present situation rather than get stuck in the past or think about a future that is uncertain.

Those who have watched the movie say that it has indeed provoked them to think about the present. “It is a thoroughly engaging film,” says Prashant, a college-goer. He adds, “There is a lot of suspense and the movie takes some interesting twists and turns. Upendra does turn a little preachy at times but he keeps you at the edge of the seat and leaves you wanting for more at the end of it all.”

Madhu Gowda, a professional, has never missed a single Upendra movie till date and he says that he would watch ‘Uppi 2’ again if he had the chance. “There’s humour, action, romance and philosophy —  all wrapped in one. The movie is engrossing and you can’t really reach a definite conclusion until the last scene,” he opines. Madhu also thinks that there is something for everyone to pick up from the film.