Ten years ago, Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu changed the course of Kannada cinema. It introduced audiences to a filmmaker with a distinct voice, someone interested not merely in telling stories, but in telling them differently. A decade later, director Hemanth M Rao is all set to celebrate another milestone. As Godhi Banna completes ten years, he is also preparing for the most ambitious film of his career, 666 Operation Dream Theatre.
Looking back at the journey, Hemanth says, “While I mark 10 years of my career, it is to be noted that even before Godhi Banna... I had another film that stopped just after the muhurath. One of the reasons Godhi Banna... became even more special was that. From there to here, it’s a big deal for me." Understanding that such second chances do not happen for everyone, Hemanth is sure he'd never take the medium for granted. “Doing cinema is a privilege. Very few people get this opportunity. For me, there is nothing beyond cinema. I’m thankful to the audience and feel fortunate every day that I get to make films.”
One thing that has marked Hemanth’s decade-long career is his refusal to repeat himself. Each film has taken him into a different genre and space. “After Godhi Banna..., I got offers to direct family dramas, but I chose to make the crime thriller Kavaludaari. Later, I had opportunities to direct in other languages, but I wanted to make a love story, so I did Sapta Sagaradaache Ello," says Hemanth, adding, “I was offered the opportunity to remake Sapta Sagaradaache Ello in Hindi by Karan Johar. There was also a possibility of remaking Godhi Banna.... in Hindi with Amitabh Bachchan. I didn’t take them up because I don’t enjoy doing remakes.”
Such strong decision-making isn't often seen in our cinema, where the scale of your projects determines your position in the industry. However, for Hemanth, it all boils down to the story. “I’m not saying this to brag. I say it because I’ve always gone behind stories. I work towards bringing those stories to the screen.”
Although Rakshit has been a frequent collaborator with Hemanth, the filmmaker reveals that there are no immediate plans for a reunion. “I would love to work with him again. Right now, he’s travelling on his journey and I’m busy with mine. We’ll meet at some point. We had announced Tenali and discussed the project. It is still on the cards,” says Hemanth, who assures that his focus is firmly on 666 Operation Dream Theatre. “What started with Godhi Banna... has now led me to 666 Operation Dream Theatre, which is the highest-budget film of my career. I strongly believe it’s not about spending money for the sake of it. The story demands this scale.”
Comparing how he began and where he is now, Hemanth reveals, “The entire production budget of Godhi Banna... is what we spent on a single song in 666 Operation Dream Theatre.” The film features eleven action sequences, approximately twenty massive sets, and a grand lip-sync dance number mounted on a scale Hemanth has never attempted before. The film stars Dhananjaya in the lead role and Shivarajkumar in a pivotal role. “Working with Shivanna is special. We have only five more days of shooting left with him. Overall, we’ve completed around 70 days of shooting and have about 25 days left. We are working towards releasing the film this year,” assures Hemanth.
Even though the scale has increased multifold, Hemanth understands that the scale and budget of the project come second to storytelling and emotion. “Cinema has to connect with people. You cannot force scale or largeness on audiences. They buy a ticket and ask us for one thing: to entertain them for those three hours. That’s their expectation,” says Hemanth, who points out that the success of smaller films in recent times is proof of the audience's expectations. “That’s why Su From So became a hit. Spending a huge amount of money doesn’t guarantee success. You need a heart to make a good film.”
Coming back to 666 Operation Dream Theatre and whether this will be the next big Kannada film to break linguistic barriers and become a pan-India project, Hemanth points out that there is nothing better than organic reach. “Sapta Sagaradaache Ello travelled far and wide without us aggressively planning a multi-language release. We want 666 Operation Dream Theatre to travel in a similar way. The faith in a film should take it places.”
Hemanth reveals that there's a lot of curiosity surrounding the project, especially with the casting, including Priyanka Mohan, who plays one of the leads. However, the filmmaker is clear that a film shouldn't make noise just for the sake of it. Nevertheless, Hemanth shares that 10 years into the industry, his excitement on the sets is still thriving. “When I did the action portions in Godhi Banna, I enjoyed it immensely. 666 Operation Dream Theatre is giving me that same excitement. Working on this film reminds me of old Kannada classics like Jedara Bale and Operation Diamond Racket, where chairs had secret buttons, guns would emerge from nowhere, laser-cut security systems, hidden caves and gadget-filled cars. These elements are freaking me out. It takes us back to that old-school adventure cinema, and making it possible is producer Vaishak G Gowda," says Hemanth.
Interestingly, alongside directing, Hemanth is also building his own banner, Dakshayani Productions, and he reveals that this move is inspired by his own struggles as a filmmaker. “It took me almost ten years to find a producer for Godhi Banna... Before that, I had a film that collapsed during production, and it was emotionally devastating. That experience made me want to become a producer. I want to back stories that resonate, entertain, and also make people think and feel,” says the filmmaker, who is focussed on nurturing new talent and backing more projects in the future.
Ten years after Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu, Hemanth continues to look ahead, balancing bigger ambitions with the same passion for storytelling that brought him into cinema in the first place. “I have bigger projects lined up through Dakshayani Productions. I’m talking to the right people and looking to back multiple films. In fact, I’ve met two or three young short filmmakers and we are discussing feature films. I’m constantly looking for interesting people.”