Suman Ranganathan plays gang leader in Dandupalyam 4

When filmmakers cast Suman Ranganathan, they ensure that she is given a strong role. Regardless of the length of the role, this fine artiste always gives memorable performances. Take, for example, her work in Mynaa, or the more recent Neer Dose.

The south Indian actor has completed shooting for Kavalu Daari and is waiting for Double Engine to be released. She is also looking forward to working with director Vijayaprasad on Ladies Tailor. But the project she is currently shooting will make heads turn.

Suman Ranganathan is now on the sets of a gangster film, KT Nayak’s Dandupalyam 4, produced by Venkaat. The film has no connection with the Dandupalya trilogy directed by Srinivas Raju, and the filmmakers are attempting a fresh take on the dreaded gang. This film will be on the gang’s various strategies and how they helped their associates escape from jail.

Cinema Express caught hold of a few pictures from the sets, and going by Suman’s get up, she has the character -- Sundri, the leader of the Dandupalya gang -- down pat.

‘I can’t wait to be a counsellor’

Suman Ranganathan is excited to have completed her diploma in Psychology, which she did between films. “I hope to practise as a counsellor. I’ll get my diploma in August and I can’t wait to hold it in my hand,” she says. Why Psychology? “I have always been fascinated by this subject. I love to read a person’s mind and understand them in depth. That’s the reason I chose this subject. I will be doing further courses, which I will start on once I complete shooting for Dandupalayam 4,” she says.

Having completed 30 per cent of the shoot, Suman, who has often been the face of films based on crime, says that she may have pulled out a gun or smoked a cigarette in earlier films, but this is the first time she is part of a “hardcore gangster movie” and that has transformed her as an actor. “I am thoroughly enjoying playing the leader of a gang of seven,” she says.

The filming is currently going on in the outskirts of Bengaluru, in Kanakapura. Suman says that the best part of making this film is that everyone is involved in its scripting. “Actors and technicians are working day and night and doing double shifts,” she says.

Dandupalayam 4 is, of course, based on a true story, “I was told that there were 40 people existing in the Danduplaya gang, out of which the top eight criminals are in jail. This film’s story gives us a glimpse of another seven people from the gang. The things that these seven did, the way they behaved, ate, slept. Playing a character like this has been challenging and interesting. My portions will be done over a 35-day long schedule and I am currently enjoying the positive atmosphere on the sets, under the hot sun,” she says.

Dandupalayam 4 to be out in five languages

The producer is planning to release Dandupalayam 4 in five languages -- Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Hindi. It features Sanjeev, who was a child artiste in My Autograph, Vittal Ramdurga, theatre artistes, Arun Bachchan and Richa Shastri, Bullet Somu, and Sneha. It has music by Anand Raja Vikrama and cinematography by R Giri.

“The film will be in shot in Bengaluru and across north Karnataka, in places such as in Hubli, Belgaum and Chitradurga,”  says Venkaat, who produced the first part of Dandupalya series in Telugu, “Danduplayam 4 is a unique script,” he adds.