8MM will be a one-man show by Jaggesh

8MM, directed by Harikrishna, is slated for release this week and the film will see Jaggesh portray a negative role. “The bad guy is the protagonist of our film. He has committed eight murders and there is a story behind each killing. The film will explore the reason for each murder,” Harikrishna explains.

Alongside Jaggesh, the film also features actors Vasishta Simha and Mayuri, whose roles are completely different to each other. Though each character has just a scene or two with Jaggesh, each of those scenes are relevant to the plot, says the director, adding, “The curiousity is built up all the way till the climax.”

Addressing rumours that 8MM is a remake of a Tamil film, Harikrishna, who says even he has heard this, denies the reports, saying, “We have taken a line from a Korean film called Stray Dog and matched it with local sensibilities.”

Harikrishna says the experience of working with Jaggesh was amazing. “His effort on set is inspiring. There was one scene which needed him to deliver seven to eight pages of dialogue. He did the five-and-half-minute scene in a single take and people on the set applauded his effort. This scene is towards the end of the second half and is definitely something to watch out for.”

Not many have attempted to explore the negative shade of the 'Navarasa Nayaka' before. “He usually has the audience hooked with his humour and 8MM will see him turn into an action hero. When I first discussed this with the producer, our first thought was to bring on board an actor who has never played such a role before. Jaggesh was the unanimous choice. He started with negative roles and became popular for his particular variety of comedy. For me, he is like Superstar Rajnikanth. This role needed a lot of dedication from him.”

What is it like to work with an established actor as a debutant? “IRA was supposed to be my first directorial. Unfortunately, the film couldn’t be released because of the producers. Having said that, working with a top star who is 147-films-old was humbling. He gave me the same respect that he would give to any other director. It was a pleasure working with him.”

Harikrishna says 8MM will be a one man show of Jaggesh. “This is definitely a ‘different’ kind of a film for him. He will be seen in different shades, but there is absolutely no comedy from Jaggesh in 8MM."

Along with Jaggesh, producer and actor Rockline Venkatesh also has a pivotal role in 8MM. “In the role of a senior police officer, Rockline travels through the cinema and one can look forward to his acting prowess in the film,” says Harikrishna. He adds that Vasishta, who is mostly seen as a villain, will be featured in a positive role, as a cop, in this film.