'Massive sets, story and Darshan to drive Yajamana'

Yajamana, the upcoming film starring Darshan, in which the actor teams up with producers Shylaja Nag and B Suresha, promises to break several records. With around 10 massive sets created by art director Shashidhar Adapa, coupled with several VFX scenes, as well as some 3D shots, the film, currently in post production, promises to be a visual treat when released.

CE caught up with producer Shylaja Nag over the telephone to talk about the film's status and what fans can expect. “We could not find the right locations which would have done justice to the script. The story is not just about a husband and a wife. If it was just a cute love story, we could have made do with normal sets, but this is a commercial mass entertainer and we looked at every detail of the backdrop, and paired it with each line and scene of the script. Every element of the film, including songs and fights, have been shot in such a way that they blend in with the storyline completely,” she says.

With several filmmakers choosing to dream big when it comes to set creation, Yajamana's directors V Harikrishna and P Kumar stayed true to the trend. In addition to the massive sets, the film also incorporates VFX and 3D scenes. “Shashidhar Adapa is one of the best art directors in India and we had him create huge backdrops for the film,” says Shylaja, adding, “The huge sets will explore the Yajamana theme along with the characters.”

However, the producer does not reveal the exact budget of the film for now, choosing to keep it as a secret. Going by the quality of the sets and the ongoing post-production work, this could well turn out to be one of the most expensive films made in Kannada cinema.

The sets are not everything to look forward to, however, as the lead character, played by Darshan, is equally interesting, Shylaja says. “The star (Darshan) as well as the content are what will drive Yajamana and interest the viewers. The visual effects as well as the 3D scenes and the way they blend organically into the film will also play a major part in the commercial entertainer. Perfecting these shots has taken the filmmakers more time than was expected at the post-production level, which is going on at full pace. The fine tuning of the VFX is an important part of the process,” explains Shylaja.

Meanwhile, Darshan has finished dubbing for his portions and the directors are now left with shooting two songs. The team will travel abroad sometime in November to film these.

Yajamana's cast includes Rashmika Mandanna, Tanya Hope, and Thakur Anoop Singh, who plays the antagonist. The film also has Dhananajay in a pivotal role.

Question Shylaja about the release plans, and whether this will be out before Darshan’s other film, and she says, “As far as Yajamana is concerned, we are proceeding as per our intial target and will figure out the details once we are done with the post-production work.”