Rajendra Singh Babu: I gave Kannada many firsts

Director of a string of hits recalls how he inherited his passion for films from his parents, and how some of India's biggest stars wanted to work with him

After a five-year sabbatical, S V Rajendra Singh Babu is returning to what he loves best--directing films.

The Mysurean, who has written and directed love stories, adventure thrillers and comedies, is the recipient of three national awards, eight Karnataka state film awards and three Filmfare awards (South). His work is predominantly in Kannada, but he has also directed Hindi and Telugu films, and worked with the top stars in three languages.

"If you look at my films, there are no repetitions. I have gifted many firsts to the Kannada film industry," he says proudly.

Babu is known as an 'expensive’ director. He demands actors’ call sheets for months. "That's my way of making films. I don't compromise on quality. The idea in my mind should look fabulous on the screen," he says.

His father, Shankar Singh, hailing from Arsikere in central Karnataka, was a freedom fighter and filmmaker. Babu's mother Prathima Devi was an actress.

Born on October 22, 1952, in Mysuru, Babu grew up in a family steeped in the film business. "My father ran two touring talkies (tent cinemas) called Mahatma and Jawahar Pictures around 1945 as a mark of respect to Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. He relocated to Mysuru to make Kannada films and produced Krishnaleela (1947) under the Mahatma Pictures banner," Babu recalls.

Singh's Jaganmohini (1951) was a trendsetter. It ran for 25 weeks. It was the highest grosser of the time in Mysuru state, as Karnataka was then called.

"Since people sold their cattle to watch the film, someone filed a case against its screening. My father got the court stay vacated," Babu says.

Singh and Prathima were opposed to Babu getting into films, considering the unpredictability.

"My father wanted me to be a doctor. I could have easily got a medical seat. But after PUC, I couldn't resist the urge to plunge into filmmaking," he says.

By then, Babu had appeared in Muttiddella Chinna (1954) as a child actor.

"While I was acting with Dr Rajkumar in Bhakta Chetha (1961), he often took me to a hotel in Mysuru to eat chicken. He would fondly say, 'Baa kanda' (Come, dear child). My association with him began in the late 1950s," he says.

Once Babu was in films, his father wanted him to master skills in all departments. "Camera and sound always drew my attention. I would lift and carry the Mitchell camera on my shoulder. Watching images in the camera was a treat," he says.

Debut film

Though Babu had shot a song featuring Kalpana, his debut film was Naga Kanye (1975). A little later, he realised children’s films were rare. “That prompted me to direct Nagarahole (1977), with Vishnuvardhan in the lead," he says.

Vishnuvardhan's father worked in Singh's company, which brought him close to Babu. "Ambarish was my brother's friend. He wanted a car and his father had turned him down. So Ambarish left his house and stayed with my brother. That's how my association with him began," Babu recalls.

He cast Ambarish in Mahadeshwara Pooja Phala (1975), and that eventually earned Ambarish a role in Puttanna Kanagal's Nagarahavu (1972), which became a runaway hit. In fact, it was Babu who cast the ‘Rebel Star’ as a full-fledged hero in Antha (1981), a trendsetter in Indian cinema.

Babu and Ambarish had acted together in Shivasharane Nambekka (1955).

Hollywood interest

Nobody had tried an children’s adventure film like Nagarahole in India those days. Gemini Colour Lab in Chennai stored a reel of Nagarahole to study its colour grading. Nagarahole drew Warner Bros' attention.

"They contacted me. I worked for them for two months in Hong Kong," he says.

In the 1980s, the Kannada weekly magazine Sudha serialised H K Anantha Rao’s novel Antha, and it caught Babu’s attention.

"Dr Rajkumar wanted to appear in the movie. I told him the role wasn't suited for him. I wanted somebody who didn't have stardom. I chose Ambarish," Babu says.

Vishnuvardhan and Rajinikanth were also keen on doing the role.

Antha became a mass hit. Many theatres opened at 5 am for screenings. Pregnant women were barred from watching the film, because it featured a scene with the pregnant wife of an honest police officer being kicked violently in the stomach. Ambulances were stationed near theatres.

Babu's Ganda Bherunda (1984), inspired by the 1969 American film Mackenna's Gold, had an ensemble cast (Ambarish, Shankar Nag and Srinath). It attracted the attention of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N T Rama Rao and Dharmendra.

"When I met NTR, he stood up and saluted me. He said that he couldn’t have acted in such a tough film," Babu adds.

Babu's children’s film Simhada Mari Sainya (1981) caught Jaya Bachchan's attention and she dubbed it into Hindi. It did Rs 3 crore in business and was selected for the Paris and Moscow International Film Festivals.

For Bandhana (1984), Babu had thought of Ambarish, but his dates weren’t free. He chose Vishnuvardhan.

"One day my sister brought a friend home. I saw her for the first time in the lift. Her face was covered by her flying hair. Seconds later, she turned and I saw her face. That was the moment I decided she would do the role of Nandini in Bandhana. That's how Suhasini came into the film," he says.

After Bandhana's phenomenal success, fans of Rajkumar and Vishnuvardhan started clashing. Babu relocated to Mumbai, and lived there for five years.

"I was afraid in the wake of Bandhana's success. There were no stories to match it," Babu says.

In Mumbai, Babu worked with Amjad Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Parveen Babi, Rekha, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra and Dilip Kumar, doing Hindi films: Meri Aawaz Suno (1981), Mera Faisla (1984), Ek Se Bhale Do (1985) and Aag Ka Darya (1990).

Back with war saga
Babu came back to Kannada and again teamed up with Vishnuvardhan and Suhasini for Muthina Hara (1990). He faced several odds during its making. It was an ambitious film shot on India’s snowy borders. "Though it ran well in urban areas, it didn't do well in rural areas," Babu admits.

His last film with Vishnuvardhan was Mahakshathriya (1994). With Ambarish, it was Thipparalliya Tarlegalu (2010). He launched his son Aditya in Love (2004), with Mohan Lal and Amjad Khan also being in the cast.

He has served as president of the Karnataka Film Directors Association and Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, and also as chairman of the Indian committee for Oscar nominations.

Babu’s wife is Anuradha B. They have two daughters: Amrutha and Rohini.

Babu’s biggest Kannada hits

Antha (1981)
Nagarahole (1977)
Ganda Bherunda (1984)
Bandhana (1984)
Muttuna Hara (1990)

Missed train

Babu has an unfulfilled dream: casting Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan and Ambarish in one film. The actors are no more.

"It didn't materialise. The film would have expanded the Kannada market. Sometimes, you miss a train and it doesn’t come back," he says.