When Arjun Janya's directorial debut 45 released on December 25, expectations were high. The film produced by Ramesh Reddy under Suraj Productions, the film brings together Shivarajkumar, Upendra and Raj B Shetty, in a high-stakes drama mounted on a large canvas. With its gritty mood, layered characters and scale-driven storytelling, 45 aimed at drawing audiences back to theatres during the festive window.
Yet, for producer Ramesh Reddy, the release became an emotionally draining experience. “People inside the industry killed my film 45,” Ramesh Reddy tells in one of his media interactions. “War was declared somewhere else, but our film fell prey. We opened well, but soon piracy hit us hard and negativity spread everywhere. With so many crores invested, the loss finally comes back to the producer.”
Ramesh Reddy said that the most painful part was discovering how quickly the film was undermined online. “I actually received the piracy link on my own phone. Who else will support us if this is the situation? There may be small mistakes in the film, but there is solid content and a huge budget behind it. Instead of constructive discussion, there was only negative talk.”
Having started his life as a mason before entering the film business, Ramesh Reddy admits the setback has shaken him deeply. “I could have made films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu or Hindi, but I chose Kannada because I wanted to contribute here. Unfortunately, there is negativity from our own people. They speak about unity, but pull each other down. I never imagined our own industry would stoop to this level.”
He also expresses disappointment over the lack of institutional support. “No one from the Film Chamber came forward to even understand what happened. I stayed silent for a long time, but the frustration kept building.”
Despite the setback, Ramesh Reddy says he will continue producing films, while urging the industry to think about newcomers. “I can still make four or five films, but what about first-time producers? They may end up selling their homes. How will the Kannada industry survive like this?”
Calling for collective action, he concludes, “When I visited Andhra, they asked me, ‘What is this war?’ Our war should not be against each other. It should be against piracy. Three years of effort disappeared in three days. If it happened to me, it can happen to anyone.”