AMARAVATHI IS MY MOST HONEST WORK'

BM Giriraj is one of Sandalwood’s more sensitive and intelligent filmmakers known for his films

Jatta

and

Mythri

that were released in 2013 and 2015 respectively. The talented director’s next film, Amaravathi, will hit the screens this week. Based on the 2012 three-day strike of pourakarmikas, or city corporation workers,

Amaravathi

captures the lives of the pourakarmikas and the problems they face. It also explores the discrimination that exists on the basis of social class. In an interview with Bangalore Mirror, Giriraj speaks on breaking the mould by taking on social issues in his films. Excerpts.

How did you decide on a film on pourakarmikas?

In 2006, I was part of street plays about pourakarmikas. But that is just incidental and in no way related to me making this movie. In 2012, just days after I completed shooting for Jatta, there was a protest by pourakarmikas in Bengaluru. Bangalore Mirror covered it prominently. For three days, the workers refused to clear garbage. We can still feel the effects of the strike — there is so much backlog. They were demanding basic facilities and nothing more. Most of them are contract labourers and it is an intrinsic class of labourers. That protest was the spark. As a society we are blind not only to their problems but to the people themselves.

How did you find a producer for a film based on a social issue?

Madhava Reddy

is a friend of my father. He wanted to produce a meaningful film. When I told him about this topic, he agreed. Our society is blind to pourakarmikas, their existence matters to few. But a similar hypocrisy exists in film world. I am glad

Reddy

made the movie possible.

Was finding the right actors to play the characters difficult?

I had told Achyuth Kumar about the film in 2012 and he was eager to play the lead role. We have introduced around 15 actors from amateur theatre. They are more open to such subjects and have exposure to the problems of the society.

Can telling a problem be cinematic?

I have tried to make it suitable as a film as much as possible. I have brought together various incidents and put them together into a story. Personally, it is my best film. You may notice the budget constraints and a few technical misses. But it is my most honest work. Those who have watched it have said that it as close to reality as it can get.