Sai Kumar says he was thrilled to work with Bhavya, Sudharani and his brother Ayyappa on Avatara Purusha

On Friday (May 6), director Suni’s next, the first instalment of Avatara Purusha, which has Sharan in the lead, will release in theatres. The film, produced by Pushkara Mallikarjunaiah for Pushkar Films, has a massive ensemble cast on board, including Ashika Ranganath, Bhavya, Sudharani, Srinagara Kitty, Ashutosh Rana, Ayyappa Sharma, as well as Sai Kumar.

For Sai Kumar, Suni’s film is special on many counts, it’s his first film with the filmmaker and leading man Sharan, and his second with cinematographer William David, who had also worked on the veteran actor’s Kannada comeback film, Rangitaranga. But most importantly, said Saikumar was the fact that he got to work with actresses Bhavya and Sudharani, as well as his brother, Ayyappa. “Back in my heyday, I had worked with almost all the heroines then, but never got the opportunity to collaborate with Bhavya. Suni has made that possible with Avatara Purusha. We are paired together in the film. Interestingly, Sudharani, who was my first heroine in Kannada cinema, is also my co-star in Avatara Purusha, albeit this time around, she plays my sister,” said Sai Kumar, at the film’s trailer launch and pre-release event, which had his Bharjari co-star Dhruva Sarja in attendance.

Meanwhile, KGF’s Vanaram, Ayyappa, who is Sai Kumar’s youngest brother, is also in Suni’s film. But the filmmaker’s casting is such that Ayyappa plays Sai Kumar’s father. The Police Story actor plays an Ayurvedic practitioner called Ram Jois, whose young son goes missing. Years later, a junior cine artiste, Anil (Sharan) is hired to pretend to be his long-lost son, for the betterment of Ram Jois’ wife’s mental health.

The first part of Avatara Purusha, the subject of which also deals with black magic, bears the tagline Ashtadigbandhana Mandalaka. The film has music by Arjun Janya. The makers had earlier said that the second instalment, Trishanku, would be released within three months of the first, but have not announced a confirmed date yet.