Chethan Kumar: I've kept fans of Sriimurali in mind while making Bharaate

The director talks about his upcoming commercial film, the Sriimurali-starrer Bharaate
Chethan Kumar: I've kept fans of Sriimurali in mind while making Bharaate

Chethan Kumar is a director of mass films who wholeheartedly believes in this medium and likes to stick to the basics of commercial formula. “If cinema is meant to be made for people, a director has to bring the maximum viewers to theatres. For this, we rely on the mass crowd. If the buzz is good, we will have the family audience entering the second week, followed by the ‘intellectual’ viewers. In my opinion, a commercial entertainer attracts all kinds of audience,” says Chethan as he talks about his upcoming release, Bharaate.

Bharaate, which is slated for release this Friday, has him teaming up with actor Sriimurali for the first time. The action-packed family entertainer, which also stars Sreeleela, marks the first production venture of Suprith. The film also boasts of a huge star cast, numbering up to 44 well-known artistes. 

Chethan made his debut with Bahaddhur and followed it with Bharjari, both starring Dhruva Sarja. Bharaate will be his third outing. The director is clear about his aim with this film. “I have kept in mind the fans of Sriimurali, who mostly comprise the mass audience. I also intend to attract the family audience that he missed out on in his previous few films, where he was presented only as an angry young man. At the same time, I have also worked on ensuring the producer, who is making a huge investment, gets back his returns,” says Chethan.

Incidentally, Bharaate is said to have recovered the investment even before its release. According to reports, the film has already made good pre-release business from audio, dubbing, digital, satellite, and area-wise distribution rights. “I am a director; I can’t talk about figures. However, I believe that commercial directors always have a place in the movie market. If you give business to producers, obviously they come looking for you,” Chethan asserts.

The director, who is inspired by the works of Dr Rajkumar, Puttanna Kanagal, Telugu director Trivikram Srinivas, and Bollywood filmmaker Rohit Shetty, admits that he is not different from other directors, but at the same time, categorises himself as special. “Every director is looking to tell a story. However, I look more towards reaching the maximum audiences. Being a writer of my own films, I also pen songs and dialogues, which I consider my strength. This way, I can satisfy the audience in multiple ways,” says Chethan, who has achieved a signature style with punchy dialogues, grandeur, and the way he presents the hero’s introduction. “My subject might be commercial, but content-wise, I prefer to play with emotions and build on relationships.”

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