‘Kantara’ and ‘KGF’ producer Vijay Kirgandur: We credit our success to the late Puneeth Rajkumar, we have grown with him – Exclusive – Times of India

2022 is the year that took the Kannada film industry to the next level. Despite the world bouncing back to normalcy and the film industry seeing its post-pandemic struggles, the Kannada film industry succeeded in finding the pulse of the audience and identifying what the masses are looking for. ‘KGF 2’ and ‘Kantara’ are two films that changed the face of the Kannada film industry and the rest is history. ETimes spoke to Vijay Kirgandur of Hombale Films, who opened up about the success of both films, working with Rishab Shetty, Yash and their memorable association with Puneeth Rajkumar. The maker also spilled the beans on how Rishab has the talent of creating magic onscreen, their plans to announce the next big project with him and much more.
‘Kantara’ has created history. Who will you credit for the success of the film?
It’s the team’s effort – directors, actors, the production team, and the production house (chuckles). It is a combined effort. We are happy that we could give back-to-back hits this year.

What is your next plan of action after the humongous success?
The plan is set, so we have to live up to it, and make sure that we continue to give the content that our audience likes. We have a very good lineup for next year. So hopefully, we will try to achieve what we have achieved in 2022.
What convinced you to make ‘KGF’ and ‘Kantara’?
There are two things which we always keep in mind while making a film. One is the script and the story and second one is the director who can execute it. We always look for someone who can create what is there in the script. So that is how both the projects were taken as the stories were good and we had capable directors.

For ‘KGF’, Prashanth Neel had done his first film which we liked. So he pitched in the story and we got it approved. For ‘Kantara’, we wanted to work with Rishab Shetty for a long time and we were discussing what kind of movie we should do. He came up with this ‘Kantara’ story and we liked it and did the project, and it is where we are now.

Do you feel Rishab has the Midas’ touch?
(Laughs). He created magic in low-budget movies. All his movies from ‘Kirik Party’ to ‘Sarkarihi’ are low-budget movies but turned into massive hits in Karnataka, and also got National Awards. So Rishab has got some ability to turn low-budget movies into big-budget films. Even though for him ‘Kantara’ was the highest budget film, it turned out to be one of the lowest budgeted films he made.

Of course, he has that golden touch as he is good at directing films, and he is good with writing scripts. That is why we approached him to direct ‘Kantara’. In fact, incidentally, he also acted in the film and has given his best performance. He is a multi-talented person.

‘KGF’ or ‘Kantara’, which film is your personal favourite and why?
Obviously, it was ‘KGF’ but now it has become ‘Kantara’. The Rishab Shetty’s directorial’s success has come as a surprise element for us like everyone else. So ‘Kantara’ stands first. We always wanted to convey messages through our movies, be it a social message or cultural tradition and we feel with ‘Kantara’ we succeeded in it somewhere, in taking the coastal Karnataka ritual to the world. So in that sense we are happier than the commercial success, as we wanted to leave something for the next generation of what India is and what culture it has followed. So in that sense ‘Kantara’ comes first.

What do you think made ‘Kantara’ a huge success?
The first thing is Rishab’s performance in the last 20 mins of the film that made the movie so successful. And the kind of localness, the tradition, the ritual which is followed in part of the world is followed across the world, maybe in a different way. That’s what must have made people so connected to the film.

Any plans to make Bollywood films?
We are now making films in other South languages, we have one in Tamil, one in Telugu, and one in Malayalam next year. So after that, we surely have a fruitful plan to do some Bollywood movies as well but before that, we need to have a story, the actors and the directors who can work on that script. So currently we are engaged in that process.

You started with the late Puneeth Rajkumar, what do you have to say about the association?
Our association with Puneeth was like a family, we were brothers, and the bond we shared with each other is unforgettable. In fact, our first project was with Puneeth sir, we waited for a couple of years to do the movie as his dates were not available. He is one of the greatest actors and he will always be the same for us. So whatever we are today is all because of him as we started off with him. So all credit goes to him. We have grown with him. We did a couple of films with him and were also supposed to do two more films with him which unfortunately didn’t happen. We had a cordial relationship and he was there with us whenever we needed him. So definitely we are going to miss that.

‘Kantara’ is overrated,’ says social media. What do you have to say?
The film has created history. Look at the footfalls and the way it has reached the audience. So such comments really do not matter to us. When there is something big, there will obviously be something bad said about it.

Tell us about your next with Rishab Shetty.
Yes, we will be announcing something about it but since Rishab is on vacation right now, we are unable to finalise it. But we are very soon announcing something big together. Maybe in January or February 2023, we will have the announcement ready with us.

Is that Kantara 2?
It could be the announced movie but we are not sure about it now. First, we have to sit and discuss it. Of course, there is a plan for ‘Kantara 2’ in the back of our minds. If something has done so well and has the potential, why not? But again we will need some time to figure things out. Officially we are not announcing anything right now.

Yash and Rishab – what makes both the actors different from the rest?
Both are talented in their own fields, however, Rishab has the extra ability to write and direct.