'I had wanted to reach out to as many regions as possible even 20 years ago'

With films like Tarka, Uthkarsha, Sangarsha, Niskkarsha, Beledingala Bale, Nammoora Mandara Hoove and Sparsha  in his filmography, it is no wonder that a film by Sunil Kumar Desai has high expectations. 

Udhgarsha, which is the director's next outing will be released in all four South Indian languages. “Reaching out to as many regions as possible was something I had thought of 20 years ago. However, that wish of mine is getting fulfilled only now,” says Sunil, adding that many of his suspense-action genre films like Tarka and Nishkarsha, were later dubbed or remade in other languages too. 

“I started off in the film industry when we didn’t have mobile communication. Today, we have come to a point where we can release films in 10,000 theatres. Technology has allowed us to showcase our product across the globe at the same time. However, this has come with increased production costs,” he says. 

The director, who is aware of the high expectations on his films, mentions that the audience can expect a ‘neat film’ from him. While he does admit that his two previous films -- Ramya Chaitrakaala and Re -- did not live up to the audience's expectations, he is confident that Udhgarsha will not disappoint. “This is for those who enjoy watching edge-of-the-seat kind of cinema,” he says.

For Udhgarsha, which is a story that takes place in a span of 48 hours, Sunil has roped in relatively fresh faces, including villain-turned-hero Thakur Anoop Singh, Sai Dhanshika, Tanya Hope, Kishore, Kabir Duhan Singh, Vamsi Krishna, and Shraddha Das.

“I felt that if a known actor is featured, the audience will come to theatres with a certain mindset about their performances. I wanted to go with a different look and feel for this suspense-thriller. And when people walk into theaters without much expectation, they find something new in these characters,” says Sunil, who believes that physical appearance will make an impact in the film, and has therefore cast tall actors for almost every important role.

Udhgarsha marks the debut of producer R Devaraj, who credits the director for the opportunity. “I’ve always been a fan of Sunil’s works, and it is only due to him that I turned producer,” says Devaraj.