45 explores the unseen, the uncomfortable, and the in-between: Upendra

When Upendra agreed to be part of 45, it wasn’t a calculated career move — it was instinctive, deeply personal, and rooted in trust. His long-standing friendship with music composer turned film director Arjun Janya played a role, but what truly drew him in was the way the story was narrated. “It reminded me of myself,” he says, referring to the way Arjun approaches storytelling — working through scripts, stripping them down, and holding on only to what truly matters.

“The sheer scale of effort involved — animation, cinema planning, re-recording, dubbing, VFX — all of which demanded time, money, and meticulous preparation. Arjun spent a lot of time on it,” Upendra says, acknowledging the commitment required to hold so many things together. Even the title 45 sparked curiosity. While many interpretations exist — between life and death, moments suspended in time — the concept intrigued Upendra deeply.




“What happens in those minutes?” he asks. That philosophical space, hovering between existence and exit, fascinated him, he tells us. “It’s this exploration of the unseen, the uncomfortable, and the in-between that ultimately made 45 compelling for me,” he says. According to Upendra, the character in 45 stood out too. “It is powerful, layered, and far from familiar territory. Violent, yes — but not one-dimensional. There are different shades to it. The character felt authentic, special, and necessary to the narrative,” he says.

‘I’ve experimented with the art of elimination in storytelling’

For Upendra, storytelling is less about what you add and more about what you remove. His creative process is defined by elimination. “There will be so many ideas,” he explains, and adds, “But the focus is on what is not okay. This filtering has always been strict — sometimes even risky — especially when a story is far ahead of its time.” If something doesn’t feel like his “cup of tea,” he lets it go. That philosophy doesn’t change when he works with other directors or writers. “Every role I accept is one I am fully convinced about,” he states. Saying no, he implies, is as important as saying yes.

‘Ours is a changing industry, and it’s also a promising time now’

Looking at Kannada cinema today, Upendra believes it’s an interesting phase. Filmmakers are experimenting, pushing boundaries, and attempting new forms of storytelling. “We are all trying something new,” he says, calling it a good time for the industry. While not every story excites him, the possibility of strong narratives changing the DNA of Kannada cinema, he says, is very real. Upendra’s own filmography, often described as cult cinema, has played a part in reshaping audience expectations. But he says, “I prefer to remain focused on the present — on whether stories today have the power to make a difference.”

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