Ranganayaka actor Jaggesh says he will do films only if he finds good scripts

Kannada actor Jaggesh has been in the film industry for 4 decades and is at a stage in his career where he is not actively pursuing work, and only doing the odd film that strike him as worthwhile causes. One such is his upcoming film Ranganayaka, which reunites him with director Guruprasad.

15 years after Edelu Manjunatha, Guruprasad and Jaggesh are back with Ranganayaka 

Speaking at song launch of the film that is releasing on March 8, Jaggesh reminisced about his early days in cinema, when filmmakers went out of their way to help artistes hone their skills, while actors also had a sense of bonhomie and encouraged each other. There is no learning or patting each other on the back among the new generation, where artistes come and go in the blink of an eye.

Today, the veteran actor says, each one is to his/her self and the focus is on pulling someone down the minute he/she finds success. There is no pride in the achievements of a fellow artiste, instead, brickbats are sent his/her way, the actor said, adding that he’s glad he’s not in this rat race anymore. “I’ve had a long and satisfactory career and am at a stage at which I don’t want to do every other film coming my way. If I am approached for a role and I feel right about the film, only then will I do it,” he says.

Raghavendra Stores star Jaggesh on early acting days: I was called a 'footpath dialect artist' 

As for his film, Jaggesh says that Ranganayaka will be a fun watch, including some naughty stuff too, but there will also be a good message. The actor had a special word of gratitude for director Guruprasad, whose earlier collaborations with Jaggesh, Matha and Edelu Manjunatha, are still fondly remembered by audiences. Ranganayaka, says Jaggesh, will join those ranks.

Jaggesh: No matter how much I make audiences laugh, I send them out of movie halls with a social message 

Guruprasad has been a lucky charm of sorts for the actor, he says. When they were doing Matha, Jaggesh was almost being written off by the media and the film gave him a good comeback. By the time of Edelu Manjunatha, Jaggesh was just winding up his term in the state assembly and now, as Ranganayaka is hitting theatres, the actor is a Rajya Sabha member.