Naresh Kumar started off on a good note with his debut 1st Rank Raju that was well received by the audience. Now the director is making a mark in Telugu cinema with the remake of his film, "It is always a proud moment when a Kannada film is being made in another language and more so when the same director is being considered to direct the Telugu remake," he says.
The filmmaker follows it with Raju Kannada Medium that will bring back most of the team of 1st Rank Raju including actor Gurunandan, music director Kiran Ravindranath and cinematographer Shekar Chandra. Newly on board are producer K Suresh and heroines, Avantika Shetty and Ashika Ranganath.
While he based 1st Rank Raju on education, Raju Kannada Medium talks about the transition from village to city. "It's about life and how to face it. Raju is the character I have carried forward from my first film. He is a poet in this rom-com and he is a big proponent of Kannada language and of Karnataka. His struggle to adapt to cosmopolitan Bengaluru and its people, is what I will show in Raju Kannada Medium," explains Naresh.
The director, whose strength lies in story and dialogues, has particularly stressed upon nature and greenery. "I prefer to bring out content-based films and it's something people of other languages appreciate also. For this film, I explored some unknown locations of Karnataka, especially the Malnad regions. This I feel gives a fresh look to the film," he says.
Bringing star value to Raju Kannada Medium is Sudeep. "This character required a star, but we took time to choose the actor. After much thought, we approached Sudeep. He chose to be part of the film, only after he felt that he fit the bill," says Naresh, adding, "He plays a big business magnate who becomes an inspiration and a role model."
About Gurunandan, he says, "I have known him since the time I started as an assistant director and I could gauge the kind of stories he'd fit and his limitations. I knew only he could justify Raju's character in our film," he says.
Naresh signs off saying, "Everyone who loves Kannada and Karnataka will like Raju Kannada Medium and this can even be an audience that speaks various languages. It is an entertainer for everyone ."