A Tulu film with Bollywood music, action and romance

For the first time in Tulu film industry, Bollywood’s special-effect and sound-effect wizards will make their presence felt. The Tuluvas have played a major role in the success of Mumbai’s filmdom. Now, it is time for Bollywood to reciprocate. Senior fight director of Bollywood, Ram Shetty, who has set out to make a Tulu film, spoke to DNA about his venture. He has directed fights for many bollywood blockbusters like Qurbani, Jaanbaaz (both starring Feroz Khan), Sadak, Mohra, Vastav and Kurukshetra, to name a few of his 445 films. Sixty-four of them were in Kannada, including AK 47, Apta Rakshaka, Yajamana, Shabdavedi and Appu.

After 45 successful years in Mumbai’s filmdom, you have now decided to make a film in your native tongue, Tulu, with Bollywood masala. For all this, you may have to invest a fortune. Is it not risky, considering there is only a limited audience?
Has it been so long? I did not realise it; it seems like just 15 years since I joined the films. But when I look back, I see I have done 45 films every year, either directing movies, directing fights, producing, or even training. There were days when I used to hop six-seven shooting sites in Mumbai. I took more time than I should have to forward the interests of Tulu films. But I am back with a vengeance and I want the Tulu film Bangarda Kural (meaning golden crop) to have all the characteristics of a typical Hindi commercial film. A little bit of risk is involved in making every film but I am willing to take that for the sake of Tulu. It will be the first big-budget Tulu film.

Are you aware that apart from Kannada films, all other vernacular films produced in Karnataka have made no money?
Yes. My own Tulu films in 1982-83 (Dareda Seere and Badkere Budle) did not make any money, but they were among the first films that ran for two weeks (three shows a day) in Maratha Mandir in Mumbai, which was a record of sorts. I am sure that with the kind of friends I have in high places in distribution and exhibitors network in Mumbai, Bangalore and Mangalore, I can pull off good results.

You have said the Tulu film you are going to make would be different from its predecessors, but you have chosen a melodrama. How can people expect it to be different?
Don’t be so critical about melodramas. It is possible to make melodramas in such a way that they would interest the youth. It can be done by adding music, action and some romance in good locations. Thank God, we have technology on our side, the out-of-the-world sound mixing, robotic cameras and new techniques in editing and special effects. They can be used in any theme to make films interesting for the youth. When I release the film in May, 2012, you will see for yourself a Tulu film in distinctly Bollywood style.

Why suddenly this love for Tulu?
It was not sudden. It was there always, with more than 45 lakh Tulu-speaking people all over the coast of Karnataka, Mumbai, Pune and the Gulf countries, the Tulu films with right ingredients will score.