JOIN USManohar: Ramu put his heart and soul into 'AK 47'
For veteran Kannada film editor S Manohar, the passing away of producer ‘Koti’ Ramu is an irreparable loss. Ramu died of Covid-19 on Tuesday. Having edited more than a dozen of Ramu’s films, including the cult blockbuster ‘AK 47’ for which he won the Karnataka State Award in 1999, Manohar has known him since his formative years. He recalled some of his memorable moments with Ramu:
Early days
I came to know Ramu in the late 90s while he was trying to make a break as a producer. He had distributed some films earlier. He was passionate about films. Some used to say he was what Shankar Nag was among actors, always busy, always thinking big and his mind brimming with innumerable ideas. Once he established himself as a producer, he effortlessly moved from one project to the next.
Making of ‘AK 47’
For him, everything had to be in 70mm. His films reflected his ‘big thinking’ nature. They were lavish and extravagant. He may have cut corners as a businessman but as a producer, he was big-hearted and never held back his purse strings.
In ‘AK 47’, he had some of the best technicians and writers working for him. Most of the film was shot in Mumbai and at real locations. Most of the dialogues were in Hindi, with Om Puri playing a senior police officer’s role. Ramu put his heart and soul into the film and released it on a grand scale.
I have not seen any other producer showing so much interest in editing, which is a painful and tedious process — sitting in a windowless dark room with miles of film footage. He adamantly resisted when a few scenes had to be chopped. But when he saw the final edited version of 'AK 47', Ramu was thrilled and behaved like a kid visiting an ice cream parlor for the first time.
Marrying actor Malashri
Ramu and Malashri made a perfect couple. Ramu was a handsome man and a perfect gentleman. And Malashri, we know, was and is a ‘Dream Girl’. They ensured everyone got their due even if the film flopped.
Ramu’s journey in Sandalwood
He produced 40 films under the banner Ramu Enterprises
First film: Golibar (1993)
Last film: 99 (2019)
Milestone films: AK 47, Lockup Death, Kiccha, Kalasipalya, Malla, Hollywood.
He met actor Malashri during the making of Muttinantha Hendathi in 1995, fell in love, and married her.