Puneeth: Big films are doing well in theatres

Ahead of the release of his anticipated ‘Yuvarathnaa’ on April 1, he talks about stunts, stardom, and his longing for an ’80s-style family drama

Puneeth Rajkumar, after his customary jig on the stage with ecstatic fans, offered a peek into his mind ahead of the release of his ‘Yuvarathnaa’.

“I am really tense as we approach the release date,” he told Showtime on Monday. With 45 years in the industry, here was a superstar not being overconfident.

The huge expectations have a reason. ‘Yuvarathnaa’ comes from the actor-director combination that gave us ‘Raajakumara’ (2017), the highest-grossing Kannada film till ‘KGF: Chapter 1’ (2018) came on the scene.

The grandness in the trailer is something we expect from Hombale Films. Puneeth’s faith in director Santhosh has grown over the years. After all, he was the one who ended Puneeth’s lean patch. “I don’t mind even playing a cameo in his films,” he says of the man who debuted with ‘Mr and Mrs Ramachari’ (2014).

‘Yuvarathnaa’, set to hit the screens on April 1, talks about the ill-effects of privatising education. Puneeth, who plays a student and cop, spoke to Showtime on his journey so far.

Excerpts:

Apart from the rapport you share with him, what do you like in Santhosh as a director?

I just love the way he writes. He understands what the paying public wants from a film. He thinks as a film buff. He loves to entertain himself first with his stories.

What are you thinking as your film is ready for release?

For me, it is extremely scary. If the film becomes a big hit, the atmosphere around you changes. There is happiness around. When a film fails, I am disappointed but the most important thing is to come out of it soon.

The ‘Yuvarathnaa’ trailer shows some slick stunts. Your passion for action is evident in your recent films. What are the challenges of doing your own stunts?

I don’t talk about the difficulties I face on the sets. Because it is part of my job and I am paid for it. I can’t go on telling people that I fell one day and broke my limbs. You are a hero and you need to be a hero in something. So many people come and watch you, so practise well and do it properly. I appreciate actors who undergo body transformations, do risky stunts. Dhruva Sarja did it. Yash, when he was new, hurt his knee during an action sequence. It showed his passion.

Despite the ‘Power Star’ image, people still love your classy performances in ‘Paramathma’ and ‘Pruthvi’…

I would love to do more such films. Recently, I was talking with my team about the films we had in the ’80s, movies of my father like ‘Haalu Jenu’ and ‘Chalusiva Modagalu’. In those times, movies of Anant Nag, Vishnuvardhan and Ambareesh had enjoyable drama. They showcased everyday life beautifully. Unfortunately, I haven’t got such scripts.

The OTT boom has made people love unconventional films and genre specials. What explains your belief in family entertainers like ‘Yuvarathnaa’?

It is not necessary that we have to go with the flow. We heard about OTT platforms in 2011, when they made inroads in America and Europe. So we knew India would welcome the OTT era soon. International films began making their presence in India from the 2000s, thanks to film festivals. But only a few people got to watch films like ‘City of God’ and ‘Cinema Paradiso’. Today, more people are educated about films. However, the trend keeps fluctuating. Two recent big Kannada films (‘Pogaru’ and ‘Roberrt’) have done well. People might have got bored sitting at home. We are definitely adapting to technology but what we spend on film production hasn’t come down.

What must a rookie filmmaker do to impress you?

He must have strong narration skills. His styling of the film must be good. If you take our PRK Productions, we have offered opportunities only to newcomers. ‘Kavaludaari’ exceeded our expectations with its theatrical run whereas ‘Mayabazaar’ did well online. ‘French Biriyani’ was made for Bengaluru people and they loved it.