Upendra: I want to make the producer and the audience happy

The Kannada film industry’s acclaimed actor-director Upendra’s next directorial venture, ‘UI’ will hit the theatres next week. It is the most anticipated film of the year. The idea of the film, according to reports, was conceived in 2000. “I’m always ideating. But this wasn’t a simple story. It addresses relevant social issues and so it evolved with time,” Upendra told Showtime. 

The production team refers to the trailer as a ‘warner’. It was released last week. Speaking about the film he says, “The film is experimental and layered. Simply put, if you like commercial cinema, you can enjoy it like a commercial movie. If you want to look at it more deeply, there is another layer, it will be metaphoric. If you want to dive in a little more, you can see social issues. Even deeper, there is philosophy.” Excerpts from an interview with Upendra:

Why a futuristic narrative?

Our future depends on our actions today. That’s why we called the teaser, a ‘warner’ — it says everything. If you’re careless and don’t think about the betterment of society, the future generations will face the consequences.

Can you comment on the VFX used in the film?

We have created a whole new world and have tried to bring it in symbolically. We have people from across the globe — Afghans, Americans, Europeans. So we had to use a little bit of CGI, graphics and the like. But the film is more than just VFX.

What was your experience making the film?

The experience is always the same. Direction is a 24-hour job without a break. An artiste’s and a director’s experiences are contrasting in nature. So when we have to do both at the same time, balancing the roles becomes a challenge. 

How did you manage?

(Laughs) When one goes on a mission to do both, learning to strike a balance is inevitable. We have to enjoy the process, that’s it. The ultimate truth is: kashta pad’dene ishta patbitre, kashta ne irodilla (If things happen without effort, there will be no effort). 

With OTT taking over, as a director how do you plan to bring audiences back to theatres?

No…no… Cinema means theatre. And it’s not like audiences are not going to theatres. The challenge of bringing audiences to theatres has always been there. It’s not new. If they think a movie is interesting and they should experience it on a big screen, they will come. If it’s just for content, they will prefer to watch it on a mobile screen. 

What is your opinion about OTT platforms?

Cinematic experience is different in theatres and on OTT. Some films must be watched in theatres to enjoy them to their full potential. But some films are nice to watch on OTT platforms as well.

Do movie releases still make you nervous?

I do everything from my end and give my best. The rest is left to god. My only motive is to provide the audience with maximum entertainment. If they pay Rs 100, the entertainment value should be worth Rs 1,000. And the producer should get some profit. I want to make the producer and the audience equally happy.

When a film fails, how do you deal with it? 

The genres I work with are not about failure and success. I always take risks with my content and narration, and not on how to make a film look grand. It’s always a 50-50 chance.