As captain of the ship, Suraj Gowda gears up to take bouquets as well as brickbats

Actor Suraj Gowda is hoping he’ll be lucky the third time. After two postponements of his maiden directorial venture, Suraj is all set to release Ninna Sanihake. Heaving a sigh of relief, he says, “Finally, the release is happening. We had to postpone the release twice due to Covid. It has to be third time lucky for us now.” We caught up with Suraj about his journey in a candid conversation...
This time, the pressure of blame for the release rests on you.How does that weigh on you?
I am ready to take whatever criticism or praise comes my way as I am the captain of the ship. It is time for acceptance or whatever is in store on judgment day and God alone knows the result.
Tell us about what went into writing this film...I have watched commercial and mainstream cinema since I was young. I like songs, dances and fights as a package in a film. Filmmakers make films that they like watching. But I wasn’t getting films like that, I was being offered thrillers. I have always wanted to do commercial cinema. I understood the power of commercial cinema from my debut release, Maduveya Mamatheya Kareyole, which people still remember. I decided I may as well write one and that’s how this film took shape.
Did you have any autobiographical elements weaved in?
My inspiration has come from my friends and people around me. They say that you are nothing more than the films you have watched, books you have read and the relationships that you have had. So, I think you can read between the lines.
You became an accidental director through this film. What has been your biggest takeaway?
The biggest takeaway has been my learning journey. I feel more confident about where I am right now. I don’t feel threatened about what happens after the release as I know I can continue making films irrespective of whether I am offered films or not. I feel secure and nothing makes you happier than being in a creative job that excites you.
Direction and acting both take time. Tell us, will you direct more films? Also, would you be open to directing others?
This has to be decided by the audience. They are the best judges of our capabilities. If they enjoy my debut outing and indicate that I should direct more films, then I would gladly do films. And I have no qualms about directing films for others too, there are no barriers or boundaries for me. I also felt that acting and directing took too much space. But I want nothing better to do in my life except for cinema. I love cinema and that's what made this film all the more exciting.
What is Ninna Sanihake’s biggest USP?
It has been a while since we had 100 per cent occupancy and Ninna Sanihake is a breezy coming- of-age love story. The trailer shows that it is about a live-in relationship. While there is nothing wrong legally, people do consider it a taboo. This is a comical take to what happens when two strangers get into a live-in relationship. People can expect fantastic music by Raghu Dixit. He has shown his calibre in many films and the songs of our film have already done well. I am sure that anyone who buys a ticket to our film will not be disappointed.