Hemanth M Rao On Making Sapta Sagaradaache Ello

Sapta Sagaradaache Ello Director Hemanth M Rao: 'Love Demands Vulnerability'

The maker of this year's most unforgettable Kannada film yet, speaks with Subha J Rao of bringing the poignant story to screen.

THERE’s a heaviness in your heart; you’re restless and wonder why fate seems aligned against Manu and Priya. And long after the end-credits roll, you write another ending for Sapta Sagaradaache Ello — Side A in your head.

The Kannada film — directed by Hemanth M Rao and co-starring Rakshit Shetty and Rukmini Vasanth — has entered its third week in Karnataka’s theatres, while its Telugu version has worked the same magic in the neighbouring states.

On social media, the ache-filled tweets we saw a fortnight or so ago for SSE are being repeated for Sapta Sagaralu Dhaati, the Telugu version. That’s the effect Hemanth’s film has had on people.

Now imagine the pain that Hemanth would have carried around since 2006, knowing what’s going to happen to his protagonists. But like all good things, the idea needed to stew in his heart, and get written as a proper script once he had age and lived experience on his side.

In a winding conversation, Hemanth speaks about how SSE came into being, how he lived and worked on other films while this magnum opus silently took shape within him, Rakshit’s role in the making of the movie, and basking in the audience’s love. Edited excerpts:

Our bond with Manu and Priya is but a few weeks old. Even then, we feel their pain. You’ve lived with them for 15-odd years. Did you feel pain while putting their lives through the wringer during the writing?

I am very connected to the characters, and I’ve worked on them for a very long time. With every passing year, your perception about relationships changes. That, in turn, affects how you see your characters. You infuse them with the maturity you develop with time.

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Nithya Menen On Kumari Srimathi: 'The Story Had A Rare Spark'

Watching her new limited series on Amazon Prime, it's easy to tell that Menen is having fun. The actress chats with Mallik Thatipalli about how her approach to work has evolved.

“WHY should there always be a challenge?” retorts actress Nithya Menen when asked about the biggest difficulty in adapting to her character in her new web series Kumari Srimathi. “Life can be easy too, at times. It can be an enjoyable experience and quite fun. This series was one such experience,” she avers.

Indeed, as one watches the new limited series, it is easy to see that the actress is having fun on screen. As a woman fighting to save her ancestral house, she is vulnerable and witty in equal measure, making the show a treat to watch.

In recent years, Menen has hit a sweet spot. Be it her act as a supportive friend to Dhanush in Thiruchitrambalam or as Pawan Kalyan’s wife in Bheemla Nayak, she brings gravitas to the screen each time she appears on it. Making her point without histrionics, her comfort and camaraderie with the camera (while on display since her debut) is even more noticeable in her recent work.

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