Few Kannada stars carry anticipation the way Dhruva Sarja does. From the kinetic debut in Addhuri to the swagger of Bahaddur and the mass high of Bharjari, followed by Pogaru and Martin, his films arrive with noise. Teasers are dissected, choices debated, and expectations are already sky high. With KD – The Devil, that scrutiny has only intensified. Yet in conversation, Dhruva Sarja is not defensive. He is grounded, firm about his process, and clear about where his loyalties lie.
“Not taking anything individually, we are a team,” he says, addressing the controversies around the film. “We put faith in the story and the vision, and we travel together. If something goes wrong, we correct it immediately. My director is the first to do that.” Speaking about Prem, he also makes a special mention of the audience. “When it comes to our VIPs, they have stood by us. That is our strength. Discussions, good or bad, matter only if we have made a mistake. Otherwise, I take everything positively.”
Delays and noise, he admits, can distract. “You do lose focus for a bit. You are trying to secure things, but beyond that, nothing changes.” What remains constant is his stance. “I am with Prem sir, 100 per cent.” There is a history to the longu, the machete that defines Prem’s underworld canvas since films like Jogi and Kariya. For Dhruva Sarja, picking it up was not about swagger but responsibility. “There is a history to it,” he says.
“I revisited films like Om, watched clips, and studied the style. But more than how you hold it, there has to be a situation that earns it. Prem creates that tempo.”Does the weapon build a mass image? Dhruva Sarja avoids the easy answer. “As an audience, I have learnt that Prem is excellent with underworld subjects. But the story matters. It is something a family can watch. There is no vulgarity.” He separates intent from spectacle. “Let us not club things. If there is violence, it is because the situation demands it. Script and the director’s vision come first. We go with that.”
Kaalidasa, the character he plays, is described with disarming simplicity. “He is very innocent. He keeps to himself, works in a garadi mane, and has a small family. The audience should see it as a good story from Prem, and me in a good character. That is my belief.”
Stepping into the 1970s and 80s underworld meant rebuilding both a city and a mindset. Dhruva Sarja recalls a personal moment. “I once left home in bell-bottoms and went straight to shoot in the KD costume. My father saw me and said he looked just like this when he was young. When my father said that, I felt I was in the role.”
His collaboration with Prem is rooted in both craft and temperament. “Every Prem film has its own essence. I like Jogi, Excuse Me, Kariya, even Ek Love Ya. As a person, Prem is genuine. He is a workaholic, a big dreamer. That involvement, you learn from it,” says Dhruva, who also credits KVN Productions for backing and scaling the film’s ambition.
The cast brings together experience across generations. “Initially, I was conscious,” Dhruva Sarja admits. “Watching someone like Ravichandran or Ramesh Aravind sir, you realise how easy they make it look. Technically, they know so much. Some of them are directors too.”
Physical transformation to fit into the role of Kaalidasa came with its own concerns. “I thought I would need time to lose weight after gaining so much,” he says. “But Prem believed in me.” It is a recurring thread, faith matched with effort.
As for what lies ahead, Dhruva Sarja keeps it simple. If KD – The Devil opens the door to a sequel, he knows where he stands. “I will stand with my director, whatever it is.”