'Amma Na Haadu', which features archival photographs of the mothers of Dr Rajkumar, Dr Vishnuvardhan, Shankar Nag and Anant Nag, brought back personal memories for Tara.

The launch of the song from AP Arjun’s upcoming Kannada film Lakshmiputra took an emotional turn as veteran actor Tara spoke about her mother and aunt, while lead actor Chikkanna opened up about the film, his co-star and his recent marriage.

Directed by Vijay S Swamy and produced by Annapoorna AP Arjun, with Ravi Kiran as co-producer, Lakshmiputra features story and screenplay by AP Arjun and music by Arjun Janya. The film stars Chikkanna, Thara Anuradha and Vandita. The song, 'Amma Na Haadu', sung by Sid Sriram and penned by AP Arjun, celebrates the timeless bond between a mother and her child, bringing together soulful music and an emotional narrative. The film is presented under the banner of AP Arjun Filmss.

The event, which also saw the unveiling of a new poster, began with Arjun speaking about the origins of the film.

According to the writer-producer, the idea for Lakshmiputra took shape during a lunch with Chikkanna during the COVID-19 lockdown. He explained that the title was inspired by a phrase commonly used in rural Karnataka to describe a fortunate person.

“The phrase ‘Avanobba Lakshmiputra kanro’ is used when someone is considered fortunate,” Arjun said. “The working title was initially Gauriputra. But Gauriputra immediately brings Ganesha to mind, whereas our story needed something more secular and rooted in the mother-son relationship. That led us to Lakshmiputra.”

Arjun added that the Lakshmi in the title does not refer to wealth.

“Here, Lakshmi is the mother. I had written the role specifically for Tara ma’am. If she had not agreed to do the film, we would have shelved it,” he said.

The project gained momentum after the success of Upadhyaksha, when Chikkanna got back in touch with Arjun about the story they had discussed earlier.

For Chikkanna, the film marks another step into leading roles after years of being associated primarily with comedy and supporting parts.

“After Upadhyaksha, I received around 20 to 30 scripts. Many of them felt similar, but Arjun’s story stayed with me because it was rooted and felt authentic,” he said.

Working with Tara, however, initially made him nervous. The two had previously acted together in Kirathaka in 2011.

“People told me, ‘She is a National Award winner. Once the camera starts rolling, she will eat you alive as an actor,’” Chikkanna recalled.

But his apprehension soon disappeared.

“Experienced actors don’t take up all the space. They give you room to perform. Tara ma’am gave me complete freedom. By the third day, it genuinely felt like we were mother and son,” he said.

Chikkanna also praised Arjun’s writing, particularly the way the filmmaker has approached the mother-son relationship.

“Arjun worships his mother. You can understand that from the way he writes. You don’t need to interview him about it,” he said.

He also praised debutant Vanditha, who plays the female lead, describing her performance as natural and grounded.

The event then took a lighter turn when Tara decided to tease Chikkanna about his personal life. The actor recently married Pavana, and Tara asked him about the “real heroine” in his life.

Chikkanna responded by saying that Pavana had brought him good fortune, before turning towards the audience and saying, “I love you.”

The evening became emotional again when the song was played.

The track features archival photographs of the mothers of several prominent Kannada actors, including Dr Rajkumar, Dr Vishnuvardhan, Shankar Nag and Anant Nag. The visuals moved Tara, who spoke about the role her own mother, Pushpamma, and aunt Leelamma played in her life.

“My mother Pushpamma and my aunt Leelamma gave me the foundation I stand on today,” she said.

She went on to reflect on the relationship between mothers and their children.

“No matter how old you become, you remain a vulnerable child in your mother’s eyes. We face anger, insults and failures outside, and many times, we bring that frustration home. But a mother does not hold on to it. She listens and, eventually, serves you a warm plate of food. No other relationship offers that kind of unconditional grace,” Tara said.

Lakshmiputra is scheduled to release across Karnataka on November 27.