Sampath Maitreya: Writing roles for specific performers is rare in our industry

For Sampath Maitreya, the transition from theatre to cinema has been seamless, and he expresses enthusiasm for the diverse roles coming his way. Delighted with the recognition he has been receiving from both the industry as well as the audience, he shares, "While the industry sees me as a versatile actor, the audience believes I can fit into any role."

Sampath is known particularly for his character roles in films like Kavaludaari and Ombattane Dikku, took on a negative shade in Marigold. He also played a lead in the offbeat film Bisilu Kudure and was seen in a major role in the recent comedy drama Ravike Prasanga. Moorane Krishnappa marks the actor's debut as a lead in a commercial project.
According to Sampath, director Naveen Reddy was firm in his approach to making Moorane Krishnappa a good entertainer, ensuring a thorough process from the beginning. "A village setting has many stories to tell, and more importantly, a film based in that backdrop, with a fresh dialect that is prominent in the Kolar belt, captures the essence of that region and can be entertaining while delivering a subtle message," he says.

Produced by Mohan Reddy and Ravishankar’s Red Dragon Films, Moorane Krishnappa, releasing this week, also stars Rangayana Raghu and Sripriya, among other actors. The music is composed by Anand Rajavikram and Suprith Sharma, while cinematography by Yogi.

"Another aspect that made the film special for me is that I got to share significant screen space with a multifaceted actor like Rangayana Raghu. I consider myself lucky to work with such experienced actors," he says. A glimpse of Moorane Krishnappa reveals Veeranna's (Rangayana Raghu) scheme to build a temple and inaugurate it with a celebrity to gain political favour. He enlists the help of a school teacher named Krishnappa (Sampath Maitreya) to ensure security. According to Sampath, the film will attract many viewers, who, according to him, will be the real stars of the show. "Cinema and its content will draw the audience to the theatres," he says.

Up next, Sampath has a couple of projects in his line-up, including a Kannada remake of a Gujarati film. He is in talks for a few other promising projects, he mentions. "We are actors, and our job is to play any roles that come our way. However, it depends on how the industry utilises certain traits and strengths that each actor possesses," Sampath opines. "Writing roles for specific performers is rare in our industry, but interesting characters are emerging. It might take time, but there is a place for us in commercial cinema too, and I'm confident that more opportunities will come. From our end, it is important that we don't put boundaries on ourselves and are ready to explore any given role," he concludes.