Actress-turned-producer, Sharmiela Mandre is back from London after finishing the first schedule of Vaitarani, which also marks her maiden production venture in Kannada, under her home banner Sharmiela Mandre Productions. The stylish actress will be seen alongside Sathish Ninasam in Vaitarani, directed by Arvind Shastry of Kahi fame.
Before joining the Gaalipata 2 team, for the shoot, she speaks with Bengaluru Chronicle, about her experience, juggling between dual roles, her other anticipated venture directed by Yogaraj Bhat, and more. In addition, there is also Mysore Masala, the sci-fi entertainer, which will most probably hit the screens in February 2020.
“The first schedule of Vaitarani in London went pretty well and we are looking forward for the second, to be shot in Bengaluru and other parts of the State. Since it is my maiden production in Kannada, a lot of planning has gone into it to deliver a promising entertainer to the audience. Instead of attempting the usual ‘tested and tried’ formulas, we have chosen an entirely different concept wrapped around with loads of surprise and thrill elements. Hope, the risk will ultimately pay off and that the audience will appreciate our honest efforts in giving them something which is fresh and new,” says Sharmiela Mandre.
Talking about Vaitarani, which according to mythology refers to a holy river which flows between heaven and hell, and which is believed to purify one’s sins. According to the makers, Vaitarani wasn’t the first choice as it was initially being used as a working title but with lots of positive response to it for its uniqueness and also having a meaningful purpose with regard to the subject dealt in the movie, it became the final one.
On choosing the film as her first production in Kannada, Sharmiela explains that after begining with her maiden venture in Tamil titled Evanukku Engeyo Matcham Irukku starring Vimal in the lead, word somehow got around over her plans to produce Kannada films. “Several filmmakers approached me with interesting scripts and we finally zeroed in on this one. In fact, some actually advised me to to opt for a tested and tried script — the usual commercial drama. But I decided to take the risk, to do the different,” she adds.
With a busy schedule, right till the end of March, Sharmiela will join the Gaalipata 2 team in less than a week. “I am so excited with my first movie with director Yogaraj Bhat. Despite knowing him for a long time, we couldn’t do a film together. It was supposed to have finished by now but with few changes including the cast and the producer, it got pushed a little further. The shooting for it has started from Monday, and I will join the team in Kudremukh later this week. My role remains the same,” she reveals, adding that half the job as an actress is done with a director like Yogaraj Bhat, who knows on how to get the best out of an artiste with all his meticulous planning before heading to the shoot.
She signs of by adding that her other sci-fi project Mysore Masala is in the final stage with director wrapping it with up post production and could hit the screens in February.
