V Ravichandran weighs in on what the calling card for any film should be

Kannada cinema’s original showman, Crazy Star V Ravichandran, who was a pan-India star before the concept even gained popularity, with his film Shanti Kranti , that was made in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi, has not been seen often onscreen in recent times, doing the odd film like Kannadiga, Drishya 2 , Ravi Bopanna, Head Bush , Vijayanand and, more recently, The Judgement. He will next be seen in Dhruva Sarja’s KD The Devil, but has also been busy shooting with his two sons, Manu and Vikram, for Premaloka 2, the sequel to his superhit directorial debut Premaloka .

Ravichandran, who also graces the occasional film event to wish young teams well as they prepare for their theatrical journey, was at the pre-release event of Suthradaari, the film that marks the debut of rapper-musician Chandan Shetty as a leading man. The film has Chandan in cop mode, investigating a series of deaths, with the victims committing suicide after being kidnapped. The film will be in theatres on May 9, 2025.

Speaking at the event, the Crazy Star took the opportunity to give Chandan words of advice about what needs to be done to ensure his film is a hit. Ravichandran noted that Chandan is a very popular face with TV audiences owing to his stint on Bigg Boss Kannada Season 5, as well as on YouTube and social media with his trending music.

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V Ravichandran: The film should get people to come to the theatres

“You need to figure out what needs to be done to make a success of your film. These days, everyone is on social media or instant messaging apps. So what is most important is how to get people to theatres, for which, the first step is to understand how to make cinema. If your focus is on that aspect, that’s the first step to success. How much time you spend on the script will determine t” said the Crazy Star. “Ultimately, it should not only be about continuously urging people to come to theatres; the film should get them to take that decision,” he said.

He added that when film teams reveal trailers and other glimpses from the film and connects with audiences with offline promotions, it creates an awareness about the product and gives viewers an idea of what to expect. The interest to do all of this and promote the film is very important, said Ravichandran, adding, jovially that if Suthradaari was about people mysteriously committing suicide, it is also what is happening to the Kannada film industry.