Gaalipata 2 director Yogaraj Bhat on Kiccha Sudeep: "He chose to work with me when I was almost done and dusted"

Yogaraj Bhat is quite easily one of the top directors working in the Kannada Film Industry today but the journey to this point has been anything but easy. Having begun his career as an assistant director under the likes of Girish Kasaravalli, V. Ravichandran, and others, Bhat’s maiden project came about in 2003 in the form of Mani, a film that boasted of great performances from Rangayana Raghu and Umashree.

However, the film ended up being a major commercial failure, one that could easily derail or even obliterate careers and Yogaraj Bhat too seemed to be looking down the same barrel at the time. In a recent interview, while recounting the experience of facing a failure of that kind, Bhat spoke of walking into empty cinema halls, encountering canceled shows, and what not, until a mutual friend put him in touch with Kiccha Sudeep.

Sudeep, who was pleased with the what he saw in Mani (along with Duniya Soori’s story and dialogues, Sandeep Chowta’s music, and so on), would agree to work Yogaraj Bhat on his next which would end up being the cult hit Ranga SSLC. Although this is the duo’s only collaboration to date, the memory of making the film and many things surrounding the process are still etched in the Gaalipata 2 director’s mind. Recalling one such endearing instance, Bhat shares:

“I remember meeting Sudeep sir at his residence for script discussions and heading home. But I had a motorcycle back then which wouldn’t kick start to save a life – either it had run out of fuel or there was something terribly wrong with it - but Sudeep sir saw me struggle with that from his house. He would then meet me at a hotel the next day, along with Vikrant Rona producer Jack Manju, and the two of them gave me money so that I can buy a car of some kind. They felt that a film director mustn’t struggle and must look respectable – however, I used the same amount of money to clear off my debts!”

In the same breath, Yogaraj Bhat goes on to add that the general public isn’t particularly aware of the generous and magnanimous side of Sudeep, or the fact that the actor doesn’t think twice before helping one in need. “He was a star back then (during Ranga SSLC) and didn’t need to work with someone like me but he did anyway. He is a most special person in my life,” he added, enunciating his admiration for the actor.

On the other hand, Yogaraj Bhat’s much-awaited Gaalipata 2 releases in cinema halls on August 12 and stars Golden Star Ganesh, Diganth Manchale, Pawan Kumar, Sharmiela Mandre, Vaibhavi Shandilya, and others.