Success brings a fleet of supporters, while failure can leave you alone: B C Patil

B C Patil, a police officer by profession, is a recognized political figure but is popularly known as an actor, celebrated for his iconic role in Kourava. He adeptly balanced both his profession and acting. Patil firmly believed that ‘where there is a will, there is a way’ and openly admits to having skillfully managed both aspects of his life. He is a strong advocate of the idea that behind every success, there lies a sacrifice. Patil initially aspired to be an actor and his deep passion for the craft made him pursue it despite initial family hesitations. He now looks back on his journey and says, “After trying stage plays post-graduation and receiving appreciation for my roles, I chose to pursue acting as I realized that it would enable me to achieve my goal of fame.”

BC Patil is currently thrilled to be back doing what he loves most, playing a prominent role in Yogaraj Bhat’s Garadi, alongside Surya and Sonal Monteiro, with Challenging Star Darshan making a special appearance. Before the film’s release, the politician and actor reminisces about his earlier days.
“I never imagined reaching this level as an actor, and I never thought I’d become a producer. Films came my way almost by accident. I started with a small role in Sangarsha, which unfortunately ended in failure,” he says adding, “In the world of cinema, I learned that success brings supporters, while failure can leave you alone. When a film succeeds, everyone claims credit, but producers often go unnoticed. Conversely, when a film fails, all eyes turn to the person who invested in the project.”

His first production, Nishkarsha, faced challenges, but he insisted on playing a villain alongside Vishnuvardhan. He explains, “Nobody would accept me as a hero. Inspired by Sunil Kumar Desai’s Tarka and Utkarsha, I had one condition: if I produced a film starring Vishnuvardhan, I should play a negative role. This earned me a name as a white-collar villain. However, as they say, ‘Operation Success, but Patient Died’. Nishkarsha ran for 100 days but fell short of expected revenue due to financial misconduct by the mediators I trusted. I did a few more films, incurring losses, and even had to sell a house in Davangere. Then, director Mahendar entered the picture, and Kourava happened. He insisted that I become a hero. Instead of losing money to others, I chose to invest in myself, and it paid off. Then,  a new law emerged, stating that government officials should not act while in service. I took voluntary retirement and entered politics. My political career had its ups and downs, but now I’m thrilled to make a comeback with Garadi.”

Patil got involved in Yogaraj Bhat’s directorial, Garadi, right from the scripting stage. He says, “Initially, I didn’t consider acting in Garadi and was planning to cast a well-known artist. However, the director suggested that I take up the role. I was told that I would have a few days of shooting, but he kept me throughout the film. I am the master of the whole Garadi, and playing this role has brought me immense happiness.”

Speaking of the film’s uniqueness, he mentions, “The traditional exercise that was practised in Garadi has transformed into a gym today. Back then, the Garadi participants were considered to be protectors of their place. I play a master, Korapet Rangappa, who is an expert in wrestling. Initially, the audience may have a different perspective on the character, but it gets justified later,” says Patil in brief about his role.

The actor also mentions the rest of the cast, highlighting Darshan, who has a grand entry in the film and appears in a special role at various intervals. “Darshan has been very supportive when it comes to encouraging youngsters, and he recommended Surya, who has done a commendable job. Darshan, in a way, gave Surya’s career a push, and his presence has uplifted the film as well,” he says.

Looking ahead, BC Patil states that, like Nishkarsha and Kourava, Garadi will also be a unique film made under their banner Kourava Production House, and Vanaja Patil’s Soumya Films. He emphasises, “With Yogaraj Bhat’s direction and Harikrishna’s music, the film promises to be an engaging entertainment. My primary goal is to maintain high production values as the brand becomes increasingly important. Our previous film, Kausalya Supraja Rama, was a decent success. We are all set to expand our production house in a big way, and are gearing up to enter Malayalam cinema with a film titled Kaadu, starring Fahadh Fasil.” he signs off.