Prakash Raj's deep voice greets us at the very first frame of the trailer of 1st Day 1st Show. According to director G Girish, the film is more of a tribute to the feeling of celebrating films. A call to remember why we fell in love with cinema in the first place.
Ahead of the film's release on July 11, Girish, who is wielding the megaphone for his fourth directorial venture, urges audiences to return to theatres and reclaim the joy of communal cinema-watching. “I am first an audience, and then a filmmaker,” he begins. “Over the years, I’ve heard many people speak highly of other language films. It made me wonder—why do we doubt ourselves? The Kannada film industry has always been iconic. But somewhere, the audience’s interest started to dip. I wanted to create something that brings back their faith.”
1st Day 1st Show does not get behind-the-scenes drama. Instead, it captures the emotion of watching that very first show on a film’s release day. “We’ve not touched the technical or internal aspects of the industry. This is about the audience, about the intention behind making a film. The energy, the celebration—it’s still there. We just need to remind people.”
The film brings back a tradition slowly losing ground—watching movies in theatres, especially on day one. “Post-COVID, OTT platforms changed a lot of habits. But watching films is still a tradition. It’s evergreen. The excitement of booking tickets, standing in queues, whistling for the hero’s entry… that’s the experience we’re honouring. Our film is a reminder. It was there, it is there, and it must remain there.”
Girish plays the lead alongside Aniruddha Sastry, with Jeevitha Vasista, Rohith Srinath (returning after a long break), and Reshma Lingarajappa joining the ensemble. The casting, much like the story, blends nostalgia with fresh enthusiasm.
When asked how much belief he holds in this film, Girish grins. “This is my fourth film after Ondh Kathe Hella, Wow and Shaalivahana Shaake. It brings me great satisfaction. We should stop worrying about OTT numbers or business metrics and just celebrate cinema where it belongs—in theatres. If a film wins in theatres, it will win everywhere.”
More than anything, 1st Day 1st Show is a bridge between the filmmaker and the audience. “This film is for both sides. When they walk out, I want them to understand each other better. That’s the real success, when cinema reconnects its two ends," he signs off.