I am part of Naani because of Suhasini

In his 40-year-long career, Jai Jagadish has worked on many films with Suhasini. And their onscreen pairing is such that people still remember them from their 1984 hit film, Bandhana. The two are back in Sumanth's real-life horror thriller Naani, and the veteran actor tells us that his friend Suhasini was one of the reasons he took up the project. Excerpts from an interview'
What is your role like in the film? Suhasini and I play a loveable couple who don't have a child, and choose to have a test-tube baby after many years of marriage.The child is born handicapped, and my character, Kanji Bhai, is mocked by people, who insult him by saying that his child is born from someone else's seed. Kanji Bhai develops an aversion to the child and poisons her. The child dies in their locked home and the parents meet with a bad accident, in which Suhasini's character dies and mine slips into a coma. I only return in the climax.
What attracted you to this role? The chance to work with Suhasini, and the subject of the film. Also, the director, Sumanth, is an enthusiastic young man. These days, the new crop of directors is making movies in different ways. Kannada audiences want to watch films with good subjects, and it no longer matters who the hero is.
You and Suhasini go way back' We have worked together in several movies and many of them have done well. I feel that this movie will also be counted among them. I enjoy working with Suhasini; we have been acting together since 1983 and became good friends after Bandhana. My wife and she are good friends, so we grew even closer. Suhasini is very intelligent and she can have a conversation on any topic.
Like her, you are also very active in the film industry' Yes, and I plan on working for as long as I have the energy to do so. At times, I have thought about quitting films, but I have been working for 40 years and enjoy doing this. In my career, nothing too small or big has happened; it has been smooth sailing and it will continue to be so. I have 3-4 films in my kitty, and will also begin work on a mega tele-serial soon.
What do you like to do in your free time? I am from Somwarpet in Coorg. I have a coffee estate and grow coffee, pepper and oranges there. I go there whenever I find some free time, which is usually once in 7-10 days. I have an active hand in everything that grows there. I am an agriculturist and that is something that I really enjoy doing.
Your three daughters will be making their film debuts together. That is something unheard of' There is hardly any difference in their ages, so they look like they are the same age. This is also why they are not playing sisters in the movie. They come from a filmi family, so somewhere in corner of their hearts, they also had the desire to get into films. So, my wife and I are giving them that opportunity. What happens next is left to fate. I didn't want them to enter the industry early as I can't predict how they will do; they may succeed or fail. This is why I waited for them to finish their graduation ' I can be rest assured that even if there are upsets in the film field, they are capable of taking care of themselves.
What kind of movies would you like them to do? That is a choice that is left completely to them.