Yogaraj Bhat: Romance is a complicated genre

Yogaraj Bhat

Yogaraj Bhat, who became a household name in Karnataka with romantic dramas like ‘Mungaru Male’ and ‘Gaalipata’, is ready with his first ever sequel. The filmmaker says ‘Gaalipata 2’— which hits the screens on Friday — has the perfect balance of plot, characterisation and backdrop.

The director, who is eyeing a blockbuster after a reasonable gap, feels the film, starring an ensemble cast led by Ganesh, is made for today’s times. He spoke to Showtime on the film, his working style, the evolution of cinema and more. Excerpts:

While filming ‘Gaalipata’, you had the challenge of proving that ‘Mungaru Male’ wasn’t a one-off. Now, what are you trying to say with its sequel?

I realised the stakes are high in ‘Gaalipata 2’ only after the shoot was completely done. People have watched ‘Gaalipata’ many times in the last 14 years. Be it for the songs or dialogues, the film has an emotional connection with people. The ‘Gaalipata’ franchise is like the Archie comic. You can churn out many tales on friendship. In fact, more than a ‘Mungaru Male’ sequel, Ganesh and I have always talked about making the second part of ‘Gaalipata’. We hope people will like the film and make it the brand ambassador of friendship.

With ‘Mungaru Male’ and ‘Gaalipata’, you conquered the challenge of bringing back people to theatres. They had lost faith in Kannada cinema. Now, you face a similar challenge, as many are comfortable watching films on OTT platforms…

The audience is like a magistrate. He is the ‘prekshaka mahaprabhu’. Once he is convinced that he must watch a film on the big screen, nobody can stop him. Recent Kannada films have done well in theatres. Some have done well on OTT platforms too. So streaming platforms have given us more options to reach movie buffs.

Talking about your previous films, ‘Dana Kayonu’ was a social commentary wrapped in comedy. ‘Mugulu Nage’ was a mature relationship drama. Did the films get the reception they deserved?

Well, some films need to get free run in the market. During several periods in a year, the society would be facing fatigue and it starts to crave for entertainment. People start demanding change and that’s when some films do well. But it’s tricky for anybody to identify that period. Lot of factors are involved in this. The film has to be good and people must be ready to watch. Only then we get good results. Some good films release in the wrong time and fail to generate revenue. But they are celebrated much later.

You are adept at depicting intense romantic relationships. Why don’t we see many such attempts in Kannada?

It’s a complicated genre that explores the mind, heart, and feelings of the characters. It doesn’t have the advantage of the visual presentation seen in an action movie. The romance genre banks on solid human drama and if it doesn’t connect with the audience, your effort goes in vain.

Your industry peers say you always stay updated about cinema. You also watch films from across the globe. Whose school of filmmaking inspires you?

I am inspired by Akira Kurosawa and Steven Spielberg. I love Kurosawa’s ‘Rashomon’ (1950) and Spielberg’s ‘Duel’ (1971). Spielberg’s hold over the action genre, his presentation of scenes and experiments with sound design are impeccable. Kurosawa is a scientist in filmmaking. His editing choices, sound design and depiction of war episodes are lessons for directors.

Talking of presentation, your creativity in shooting songs has remained intact…

Songs become part of the society. It gets permanently etched inside people’s body, and gets carried on from generation to generation. That’s why we sing in our bathroom. Fiction lacks this advantage. Even if a film flops, people might still get attracted to its songs, irrespective of its hero and director. So I push myself in this department and use out-of-the-box ideas to impress people.

And on the lyrical front, your partnership with Jayanth Kaikini is going strong…

He has given me the timber and texture needed for my songs right from ‘Mungaru Male’ days. Our rapport is terrific. A full time-academician, his contribution to Kannada film songs will remain forever. And he treats me with special care. In the shop of his magical words, I am his old customer. I have been visiting him right from the shop’s inauguration (chuckles).