Gurudatha Ganiga smiles when pointed out that people are glad he didn't end up being a one-film director. It has been nearly six years since Ambi Ning Vayassaytho introduced him as a promising filmmaker. Since then, projects came and went, announcements faded, and questions grew louder. On July 24, Karavali reaches theatres, ending a wait that, according to him, was never about disappearing but about finding the right story. "The easiest thing is to make a readymade film," he says, adding, "When you decide to tell something original, it naturally takes time."

The gap, he explains, wasn't intentional. Films lined up after Ambi Ning Vayassaytho never materialised. He went on to produce Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana with his partner before Karavali slowly became his entire focus. Looking back, he sees two different filmmakers. "When I made Ambi Ning Vayassaytho, I was only 24 or 25. I didn't have the clarity I have today. I was lucky because Ambareesh sir, Sudeep sir and Jack Manju sir believed in my talent. They never made me feel like the entire responsibility rested on my shoulders."

Karavali offered no such cushion. Besides directing, Gurudatha has also backed the film under Gurudatha Ganiga Films, VK Films, and Suram Movies. "It all depends on how badly you want to tell a story. A film like Karavali is difficult to pitch to a conventional producer. Commercial films have their own market, but story-oriented scripts don't always find takers. If you believe in your story enough, you have to carry that responsibility yourself," says Gurudatha, who embraced this risk willingly. "Films that break genres have given filmmakers courage. Every time you attempt something audiences haven't experienced before, there is risk."

It is this desire to attempt something unfamiliar that led him back home. Born in Kundapura, Gurudatha says Karavali grew out of childhood memories and years of observing the traditions of coastal Karnataka. "I strongly believe every film must begin with the story, even before the vision, the actors or the investment. I've been working in cinema since I was 16, and experience eventually teaches you that originality matters."

He believes the biggest misconception about the film is that it is simply about Kambala. "People know Kambala through those 15 seconds of the race. But what happens before the buffaloes reach the track? The relationship between people, animals, faith, conflict and tradition fascinated me. That unseen world became the story," says the filmmaker, who clarifies that his intention was never to explain Kambala but to immerse audiences in a culture rarely explored on screen. "I want viewers to enter this world as outsiders. It should feel like walking into a village jatre for the first time. There should be curiosity, emotion and discovery."

However, this authenticity came at a cost. Every schedule involving the trained Kambala buffaloes began at four in the morning, with transporting and handling the animals becoming a production in itself. The crew also filmed at the 700-year-old sacred Katpadi Kambala track, where every schedule respected the customs and rituals associated with the venue. "I feel blessed we could shoot there. Everything was done with respect to tradition. I honestly haven't seen this world portrayed on screen like this before."

The same philosophy helped him with the casting. Gurudatha wanted familiar actors in unfamiliar spaces. "I've known Prajwal Devaraj for years. We had almost worked together before. Here, I wanted audiences to discover a different side of him," says Gurudatha. Raj B Shetty joined the film later, after several possibilities fell through. "Venkat Narayana suggested Raj's name. He brought honesty and something magical to Mahaveera. When a technician like him becomes part of your cast, cinema benefits because the collaboration becomes richer."

Alongside Prajwal and Raj, Karavali features Sampada, Sushmitha Bhat, Mithra and Ramesh Indira in pivotal roles, each adding to the film's rooted world. The film's music is composed by Sachin Basrur, while Abhimanyu Sadanandan serves as the cinematographer, helping bring the landscapes and traditions of coastal Karnataka to life.

Despite Karavali becoming part of a public debate even before its release, Gurudatha chooses to leave the conversation where he believes it belongs. "I cannot undo anything. I only believe in the story and the honesty with which we have made it. As Raj B Shetty says, cinema is above all of us, above our egos and disagreements. In the end, nothing stays except the story. I believe Karavali will answer everything through that story."