Santhosh Ananddram: I don't take the pressure of box-office results

Santhosh Ananddram, who has previously scored commercial hits like Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari starring Yash, Raajakumara and Yuvarathnaa with Puneeth Rajkumar, is venturing into new territory with Navarasa Nayaka Jaggesh’s upcoming comedy, Raghavendra Stores.

Raghavendra Stores marks his maiden attempt at comedy. “All my previous three films were content-based too, but we tailored it according to the stars in the film, their market value, and how the fans perceived their idols. However, all the above rules were not set for Raghavendra Stores. The only aim was to make people laugh, and we hope to have delivered the same along with a sensitive message underlying it all,” says the director just days before the film’s release on April 28.

Director Santhosh was conscious about not being typecast as just a commercial director, and it is this thought that inspired him to experiment with different genres. “It is challenging to explore different subjects and work on the craft, and its unique process. Honestly, I don’t take the pressure of box-office results. I have never had inhibitions about helming a small or a big film. I just wanted to utilise the opportunity of me helming a comedy entertainer, which came through Raghavendra Stores. Incidentally, our audience too have shifted focus, and over the years, the perspective about entertainment has changed, and that has impacted filmmakers too,” he says.

Santhosh has also written the script of Raghavendra Stores. Labelling himself as a jovial person, Santhosh shares that it helped in writing the humour content, and with Jaggesh in the picture, it just became even better.  “Recently, I got to watch the Telugu film, Jathi Ratnalu. It was a simple film, but made us laugh. In my opinion, laughter is an important tool, and it needs to be used often in our films. Filmmakers have to stop hesitating to attempt comedy film,” says the filmmaker, who talks about treading the thin line between neat comedy and double entendres. “This is a film about late marriages, and there are scenes with naughtiness between husband and wife. A conversation between a couple might seem normal to them but overboard to the audience. But I assure Raghavendra Stores does have a lot of naughtiness, but no vulgarity. It is a proper family entertainer that will not make the audience feel awkward. I’m confident that apart from the comedy, the last 15 minutes of Raghavendra Stores will be an emotional ride for the audience,” says Santhosh.

A self-proclaimed fan of actor Jaggesh, Santhosh expresses his elation in working with the actor for Raghavendra Stores. “Jaggesh has entertained audiences of various generations and continues to be relevant even after four decades in the industry. This is no mean feat for any actor. In fact, this is why I wanted to write a story for Jaggesh, “ says Santhosh, adding, “A film becomes big not with its budget, but its collections. Raghavendra Stores might be a small-budget film made by Hombale Films, but the makers have given the same time and focus for this project too. Every film has its own identity, runs in its own race, and follows its own path. Whatever is expected from Jaggesh, Hombale Films, and me will be justified in Raghavendra Stores.”

Signing off, Santhosh shares that making Raghavendra Stores gave him a lot of satisfaction. “The film comes with the finest performances from all actors like Achyuth Kumar, Dattanna, Ravi Shankar Gowda, and Mitra. Shwetha Srivatsav is exceptional, and Jaggesh has given one of his best performances. Technicians Shreesha Kuduvalli with his cinematography, Ajaneesh B Loknath’s music, and the art director complement the film. To summarise, laughter is infectious, and Raghavendra Stores will create that mood, and the audience will experience a fun community watch.”