On the posters of Avinash Balekkala’s Heggana Muddu, Aditi Sagar’s name appears before Poornachandra Mysore’s. In an industry often set on traditional billing orders, Poorna actively supports this choice. “That should be the reality,” Poorna says. “Once you watch the film, you will see that the entire story moves around Aditi’s character. It happens around her world. ‘Aditi Sagar and Poornachandra Mysore’ sounds far better anyway," he begins, as the two speak about the eccentric domestic drama, the fine line between devotion and obsession, and navigating the craft on their own terms. Set to release on September 25, the film is produced by Dhananjay's Daali Pictures.
The title comes from the Kannada proverb ‘Hettavarige heggana muddu, which means, 'to a parent, even a flawed child is darling.' But the film uses the saying as a base to explore marital tension. “The proverb runs as an underlying subtext,” Aditi explains. “When people hear the title, they already understand its weight. What caught my interest was how the writing uses that saying as a tilted lens to look at relationships, showing how two people see each other and the world around them.” Poorna gets into his character, Ajitha, describing the story like a domestic thriller inside a quirky drama. “Ajitha has deep behavioural issues, but he does not know he has them. To him, his feelings are pure love. He loves her so deeply that he feels she must exist only for him and stay in his orbit. But from her side, that is not just love, it is suffocating clinginess. The drama comes from where these two views collide: one person accepts him, but how far can acceptance stretch before you have to give a reality check?”
Coming from theatre, Poorna values endurance over vanity, understanding that cinema is shaped on the editing table. When his 13-minute single take monologue was trimmed for pacing, he took it in stride. “When you do a 13-minute take, your ego loves it, you think, ‘what a masterclass.’ But you can't expect audiences to watch one face for 13 minutes without cuts. Film is teamwork; you adapt to the story’s pace.” That grounded approach, he notes, comes directly from the stage. “Theatre trains you differently. Even as the lead, the moment you step offstage, you must help move a chair or place a prop. That discipline removes ego, teaching you where friendship ends, where work begins, and what lines never to cross.”
During rehearsals, director Avinash felt that Poorna tends to play with loud dialogues, while Aditi leans into quiet subtlety. Aditi looks back on their dynamic: “We read scripts together for a couple of days, but more than rehearsing, it was about getting to know each other. Poorna is very easy to work with. The dialogue flowed so naturally that we never had to force our bond.” Poorna adds, “She is being modest, but she notices everything. Avinash first saw her when she sang the ‘Bangalore Song’ for French Biriyani, and he knew she had a very fresh energy. During readings, she picked up lines easily and never missed a beat. She paints, takes abstract photos, and sees life with a poetic eye. On set, she would stay so quiet that Avinash and I wondered where she was, only for her to deliver the exact performance the moment the camera rolled.”
When asked about her calm maturity around experienced artistes, Aditi gives credit to her parents. “My parents are truly my best friends; I have shared every thought with them while growing up. Being around older artists feels very normal to me. I do not enter a room thinking about age or seniority; I just walk in as a person. Besides, I have a habit of watching people closely. Avinash and I built her story through small details: why she stands a certain way, why she stays silent in certain rooms. Once a director explains why a character stays quiet, playing them becomes natural.”
Talk around Aditi often turns to her father, art director and actor Arun Sagar. “Every day, I make an effort to build my own name. When my father saw the trailer, we did not just exchange simple praise. We had deep, honest talks about acting and how to push my craft further.” On the topic of box office, Poorna stays relaxed. “Acting has been my first love since childhood; it was my own choice. Nobody pulled me from home and pushed me in front of the camera. So when a film does not do well in theatres, who can I blame? It is my choice. Some actors reach the masses quickly; for others, the path takes longer. As for trolls and online comments, ignorance is bliss. If you take every harsh word to heart, you will lose your peace. You understand the space, stay grounded, and move on to your next project.” And who between the two actors brought more drama to the set? Poorna says without mincing words, “Neither of us, the director, Avinash, was the most dramatic of us all on set."
