‘I never left cinema, only answered my longing for politics’

Upendra is sure about his political career, even forming his own party Karnataka Prajnavanta Janata Paksha. But he never ceases to amaze filmgoers when it comes to cinema, his first love. 

He announced the launch of his political app yesterday and, on the same evening, attended the media interaction for his upcoming film Upendra Mathe Ba.
 
What does he have to tell his fans who crave to watch him on the silver screen as a filmmaker, especially when we have had few actors who stayed on with cinema even after entering politics? Upendra quips, “I want to do something for the citizens and therefore I came into politics, but it looks like I will need time to involve myself with it completely.” He claims he never said that he'd leave cinema. “I just needed a gap, to set right the system. Moreover, it's not my decision. Like the lines ‘Haalaladaru haaku, neeralaadaru haaku’ (Put me in milk or in water) it depends on the general sentiment. I will always be where the general public want me, the decision is in their hands. If they want me to, I will come back and act.”

Currently, Upendra is looking forward to the release of Upendra Mathe Ba, and then he is off to Hyderabad tomorrow to work on the last schedule of Home Minister. Asked about his film with K Madesh, the actor tells us, “Since, I was tied up with work, I pushed the schedule of Uppi Rupee a little further and the filmmakers have been informed.”

Talking about his role in Upendra Mathe Ba, he says that he is working with Arun Loknath for the second time after H2O. “Director Loknath is more a friend to me and I feel at home when working with him. Credit is also due to technicians, especially to cinematographer Swamy for the wonderful picturisation and Sridhar V for the catchy songs for this family drama,” he says.

He plays a dual role as father and son in the film. “It was fun. The best part of this film is that the father wants to be the son and vice-versa. The contrast between the two generations is something to watch out for in Upendra Mathe Ba,” he adds.

He will be featured opposite a number of heroines in the film, including the leads played by Prema and Sruthi Hariharan, as well as Harshika Ponacha. However, the film’s highlight is that it has Prema and Upendra sharing screen space for the third time and after a 15-year gap.

“We only had Prema in mind and were initially worried when we heard that she was reluctant to play the role. But we were glad that she later accepted it,” says Upendra, who then humbly corrects us saying that it was not him who introduced Prema, but Parvathamma Rajkumar. “Prema later did Om and Upendra with me. I always told her that she is a lucky star, as both the films were super hits, and we hope she brings luck to all of us with this film too.”

He falls back into talk about politics and says that he entered it as a common citizen, and not as a star. “Politics has been haunting me for the last 15 to 20 years, and I had to answer the call or wander around as one of those unhappy souls. My film Uppi 2 had the same philosophy and I went with my instinct. Me entering into politics was never planned, it just happened,” he says.