It’s a moment of great pride for the brother duo of V
Ravichandran and Balaji as their home production —
Naagarahaavu
— made 45 years ago by their late dad,
N Veeraswamy
, is ready for its date with a new set of audiences today. Produced by Sri Eshwari Productions, the film, starring the late
Vishnuvardhan and Arti in lead roles, hits theatres after Balaji spent two years revamping it to make it fit for screening with the latest technology. From ‘retro to metro’ is how fans in the industry have been calling the new version.
“When I think of Naagarahavu, what comes to mind is my father, N Veeraswamy, director
Puttanna Kanagal, and everyone else who worked on the film. One thing that everyone who worked on revamping the old version said is how challenging it was. But back then, none of them spoke of any difficulty, because that was the kind of love and passion each and every one on the cast and crew had towards the making of the film,” Ravichandran had said at a recent event to announce the re-release of Naagarahaavu. Ahead of the release, we caught up with the actor, as he got nostalgic about his trips to the set and Vishnuvardhan, whom the late Veeraswamy considered his elder son. “At the recent event, I got rather emotional, because I was suddenly flooded with memories from back then,” says Ravichandran.
Ravichandran adds, “I was also reminded of the fact that most of the legends associated with it are not with us anymore, be it my father, N Veeraswamy, director Puttanna Kanagal or the lead hero, Vishnuvardhan, among others. I remember going to the set as a young boy, and watching my father take care of everything on the set. He always used to say that Vishnuvardhan was like his eldest son.”
The film, adds the Crazy Star, remains an evergreen product that has always fetched good returns for their banner during each of its outings. “It is a very special film for Eshwari Productions; one that no other production can match. It is a Puttanna Kanagal masterpiece that should serve as an example for anyone who wants to learn about direction or other aspects of filmmaking. The subject is unique, as are the characters in the story. In fact, it has one of the best characterisations for a hero —Ramachari — wherein you are never too sure whether he is good boy or a bad boy,”
says Ravichandran, adding that the love story will strike a chord with new audiences as well.
You have to watch the film to get a feel of a classic film. This is an iconic film in the Kannada industry. There is love, the relationship between a student and his teacher and the relationship between a father and mother, all of which remains relatable to audiences across generations
— Veeraswamy Balaji, producer