When director Kumaar L broke through with Chemistry of Kariyappa and later followed it with Critical Keerthanegalu, he earned a name for serving middle-class family stories packed with humour. However, for his next film, Amaravathi, Kumaar leaves household squabbles behind and takes his camera to the mist-covered slopes of Kodagu, tackling ecological damage through an unexpected route: a comedy thriller.
"Whenever people hear 'environmental film,' they expect a dry, moral sermon," says director Kumaar, who also makes his debut as producer with this project. "With Amaravathi, our goal was to flip that idea entirely. The plot deals with illegal tree logging and the real damage it leaves behind, but the film is fast-paced entertainment, packed with suspense, practical humour, and sharp twists. It is a comedy thriller first, eco-drama next," says Kumaar
Singer-actor Naveen Sajju headlines the project. In Amaravathi, he plays Muthu, a down-to-earth nature lover caught in a dangerous clash caused by deforestation. "Muthu is deeply tied to the land, and playing him felt very personal," says Naveen, adding, "The whole story takes place over a single day in the aftermath of the Madikeri landslides. Shooting it pushed everyone to the brink, but the intensity on set translates directly onto the screen. It is an edge-of-your-seat film, yet its core message stays firmly on nature."
Kumaar avoided artificial indoor sets, keeping his cast and crew out in the open for a tough 40-day shoot under continuous natural monsoon downpours. The aim was simple: capture the ground-level realism that people connect with. The wet mud, thick fog, and driving rain work as vital story elements rather than background decoration.
With post-production and censor work finished, the makers dropped a first-look poster ahead of the planned November release. Girish Shivanna, Yash Shetty, Sameeksha Ram, Gowri Shaiva, Sumanth, Sri Kaka and Vijetha round out the cast, while Naveen Challa handles the cinematography and Naveen Sajju, who is also the music director, teams with Akash Parva for the soundtrack.
