This film is literally ground breaking. An internationally acclaimed Kannada feature film, Thithi has already won several awards at various platforms and festivals. The latest accolade is a national award as the best Kannada film directed by Raam Reddy, the grandson of Karnataka’s first chief minister KC Reddy.
The biggest take from Thithi — apart from its talented director is his co-writer Eregowda, who started as a security guard, working to help his ailing mother (who suffered from breast cancer). Eregowda, who comes from a small village Nodekoppalu located on the Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh highway, has a life story that defies destiny. From being a mere security guard at Prathap Reddy’s (the father of Raam Reddy) home to writing for films, Eregowda is thankful.
“I come from a very poor family. My father was a drunkard and we lived in a house that flooded during rains. It was disturbing as my father would beat my mother. I had even attempted suicide but then I found solace on a tree, sleeping there while my parents fought,” shares Eregowda. His mother then sent him away to his grandmother’s to stay.
When an old acquaintance, Govindaraju, got him a security job in Mysuru, his life changed. “I got the job as my height was over six feet. Govindaraju gave me his security guard uniform which was too short! I would earn '800. The biggest shock was when my mother was detected with breast cancer. I worked around the clock to get her treated,” says Eregowda.
In desperate need of cash, he came to Bengaluru and got a job at Pratap Reddy’s house. “I was around 17 or 18 years old then. The entire family took care of me. I met Raam Reddy who was much younger to me and we became close and he taught me a lot. Later, they offered me a job of an office boy and from there on, I learnt quickly under Anita Reddy, a social worker and founder of Association for Voluntary Action and Services, who is known for her services for the rehabilitation and upliftment of the slum dwellers in Karnataka and neighbouring states,” he says. He learnt to shoot, edit, and slowly entered the realm of film making. When Raam returned from higher studies, the two got together to film a documentary, which got awarded.
When Raam decided to do a film, it was Eregowda’s village that inspired him. Eregowda not only penned the screenplay for Thithi, but also worked as costume director, art director, line producer and second unit director. Now, his wife Ramya is also involved, and so is his sister. Despite several offers, Eregowda says he is ready with another screenplay which he will direct after the commercial release of Thithi in May.
