Ahead of the release of Landlord, actor-filmmaker Vijay Kumar opens up about his place in the cinema ecosystem. “I am a worker in cinema. I am not here as a hero. I want to play various characters on screen,” he says, shifting the spotlight to the filmmaker Jadeshaa K Hampi. “The credit should always go to the director behind a film," says Vijay. Landlord, produced by Sarathi Films, gears up for release on January 23 and stars Rachita Ram alongside Vijay. Interestingly, the film marks the debut of Vijay's daughter Rithanya and features an ensemble cast including Rakesh Adiga, Bhavana, and Shishir, among others.
Landlord marks Vijay’s first collaboration with director Jadeshaa, known for Gentleman, Guru Shishyaru, and Kaatera. The village backdrop and social themes were what drew Vijay to the project. “I had watched Guru Shishyaru and realised that he is hardworking and constructs his stories carefully. It was at the trailer launch that I saw the character Rachayya and felt this was something I wanted to be part of.”
Set in the backdrop of the 1980s, Landlord may appear like a story from the past, but Vijay believes it is more relevant than ever. “Why not tell such stories today? Without history, we cannot see the future. Today’s Gen Z needs to go back and see the struggles and the fights people went through during those times. If we don’t tell them, there will be nobody to tell such stories. It becomes a document.”
After roles in films like Duniya, Salaga and Bheema, Vijay has built an audience that associates him with intense, gritty characters. Will that audience accept him in an experimental role with an older look? “Every film of mine has some kind of social awareness. But in this film, the social awareness is in its entirety. The film talks about equality and the situation in society. It is mass-oriented in its own way,” says a confident Vijay.
The actor does not shy away from confronting uncomfortable realities. “We keep talking about the system again and again because we are still fixed inside it. It exists in corporate offices, so why not for the common man? Divide and rule exists everywhere. India is still suffering from the same system. Whether in villages or urban spaces, we are still fighting for rights and equality.”
Even the title, he says, is deliberate. “Landlord as a title is an invitation. When a film, after theatrical release, even goes to OTT, such a universal title might bring audiences from other languages too. A title is the first invitation. But the crux of Landlord is about equality and the Constitution. It is not about the upper class and lower class, but about whoever is suppressed. Caste has become a mirror we keep seeing ourselves in. That has to be removed,” points out the actor-director.
Vijay also speaks warmly about working with Rachita Ram and the latest song ‘Ningavva’ from the film’s album, which has struck a chord with viewers. “I liked the fact that Rachita accepted such a role. The director did not make the song hero-centric. It keeps the husband and wife in one frame, showing love and surroundings together. The entire feeling is captured in one song. ‘Ningavva’ is a feel-good number, and so is our onscreen pair in the film,” he says.
When asked how much credit he will take if the film succeeds, Vijay again points to the filmmaker. “It is the director’s vision. I am just a character. I always believe the director is like a parent and above everything. I go by that. We discussed scenes a lot. There was constant exchange, and he would always pick something new.”
He also reflects on working with Raj B Shetty for the first time in Landlord. “As actors, we are not jealous of each other. We don’t think in terms of protagonist or antagonist. We think like pure actors and focus on what the character expects from us.”
Landlord also marks the debut of Vijay’s daughter, Rithanya, who plays his onscreen daughter. Was he initially hesitant about his daughters entering the industry, with Monisha also stepping in? “This industry is an ocean. You need strength to swim. Because I am in this field, they can swim maybe 10 metres, but after that, it is still an ocean. I don’t believe in luck. I believe in God’s grace. It worked for me, but I don’t know if it will work for them. I may be their father, but not their future. Learning and practising every day is important. I had hunger and passion. Do they have it? That is what I question, and that is my advice too.”
Recently, Vijay has also been vocal about social reformer BR Ambedkar’s ideology. “It is from the heart. Babasaheb spoke about equality and rights. I have been talking about this and fighting for this for the last ten years. It is a lifelong fight. It comes from the soul.”
Even as a few controversies surface close to release, Vijay remains focused. “Some want me to fail. I think about success. That is my aim. Whatever comes parallel, I will face it,” he signs off.
