Though the title Bungle Shama Rao Dwarakanath, won’t ring a bell to many, the title Dwarakish can have Kannada movie aficionados nodding and smiling in recognition. Dwarakish, who handed away on April 16, 2024, at the age of 81 was not simply an actor, however a director, producer and a comic too with a profession spanning over 5 a long time in Kannada cinema.
With a smile that lit up the display screen, Dwarakish was severe about cinema entertaining individuals with the tales and characters he created. The actor began his innings in cinema with a cameo in his uncle, Hunasur Krishnamoorty’s movie, Veera Sankalpa in 1964 and has acted in lots of Kannada movies since. He had a knack of creating enjoyable of himself on display screen with digs about his peak in movies resembling Kittu Puttu, Singaporinalli Raja Kulla, and Kalla Kulla.
A nonetheless from the film Pedda Gedda with Manjula
| Photo Credit:
BS Basavaraj
He usually labored in tandem with the late comedians Balakrishna and Narasimharaju. The trio would maintain us in splits with their antics in movies resembling Guru Shishyaru. If he tickled your humorous bones together with his comedy, we’ve additionally seen him as the unconventionally fashionable hero, wooing a Chinese woman in Singaporinalli Raja Kulla.
When not appearing, Dwarakish was busy producing hit movies together with Mayor Muttanna, Bhagyavantaru, Nyaya Ellide, Manku Thimma or Nee Barada Kadambari. Some of his prime movies have featured the late Dr Vishnuvardhan and Dr Rajkumar in the lead.
A person with a Midas contact, the movies Dwarakish produced, whether or not unique tales or remakes like Aaptamitra (remake of the Malayalam movie Manichitrathazhu), Nee Barada Kadambari ( a remake of Pyaar Jhukta Nahi) or Indina Ramayana (remake of the Tamil movie Oorukku Upadesam) they have been all commercially profitable.
Dwarakish had highs and lows professionally. He confronted heavy monetary losses with movies resembling Africadalli Sheela. Dwarakish took break day from making movies to bounce again. He was not deterred from making or appearing in movies, regardless of the outcomes they yielded.
Dilip Kumar when he visited the units of Guru Shishyaru
| Photo Credit:
BS Basavaraj
Veteran cinematographer BS Basavaraj, winner of the Nandi Lifetime Achievement Award, mentored by the legendary VK Murthy and National Award-winning director, KM Chaitanya who labored with Dwarakish for greater than a decade, share their work experiences with the legendary actor.
Filming in Singapore
Basavaraj met Dwarakish in 1972 throughout the making of Doorada Betta. “I have been associated with him ever since. Immediately after this film, he started working on Singaporinalli Raja Kulla. The majority of the film was shot in Singapore. It was one of the first Kannada films to be shot entirely abroad.”
Dwarakish, Basavaraj says was so beneficiant and considerate, he flew the whole crew. “He booked us into hotels close to places where we would get south Indian food. He was mindful of everything and everyone.”
Showman standing
Known for his grit and dedication, Basavaraj says Dwarakish was a showman and had a clear, neat method of creating movies. “He was also clear about how many days he would need to complete a film. A man of his word, Dwarakish always worked with deadlines and goals. He was dynamic and if he was unhappy with a scene he would candidly suggest to the director how he wanted the scene to be shot.”
For Singaporinalli Raja Kulla, Basavaraj says Dwarakish solid a Chinese actor, Felina, reverse him. “He hired a helicopter and a stunt director and wanted a fight scene on the roof of a 40-floor building. Before the shoot, he would make sure that every stuntman, cameraman and actor was safe and only then he would dive into the shoot.”
A nonetheless from Singaporinalli Raja Kulla with Felina
| Photo Credit:
BS Basavaraj
Basavaraj says Dwarakish would put up large units for his movies and say the story demanded it. “His sets were always the talk of the town so much that even Dilip Kumar visited Dwarakish on the sets of Guru Shishyaru.
Dwarakish was a great thinker, Basavaraj says. “He could convince anyone. He could sell what ever film he made with ease and had great business acumen. He has worked with Rajinikanth. For remakes, he would adapt the story to Karnataka nativity without losing the core concept. When you watched the film would never feel it was a remake. The best example for this is Bhagyavantaru, which was a remake of the Tamil movie Dheerga Sumangali. “
Democratic function
While he pampered his lead actors, Basavaraj says Dwarakish did not let anyone talk down to a technician. “If anyone complained and ask for a technician to be changed, Dwarakish would replace the person who had a problem on the set and not the technician.”
Generous, Basavaraj says Dwarakish was not jealous of his friends or those that have been higher than him on display screen. “He was a wonderful human being, who would always look for a means to collaborate with every actor. He was always willing to lend money to anyone in need, irrespective of what his situation was. “
Going the extra mile
He cared a lot about cinema too and would go to any length to sacrifice himself and his finances as long as the film got made, Basavaraj says. “Dwarakish remade Ankush in Kannada. He looked for a non-commercial director and specifically asked Nagabharana to direct the film. Ravana Rajya launched the famous Telugu actor Naseer.”
Though Nagabharana didn’t consider in remakes, and Ravana Rajya is the solely movie he directed as a remake, Basavaraj says it was Dwarakish’s convincing powers that made it occur. “Dwarakish also introduced Devaraj as the antagonist in this film. Despite being a remake, it went on to be a huge success.”
A nonetheless from the movie Adhrushtavanta
| Photo Credit:
BS Basavaraj
Basavaraj says Dwarakish was additionally daring to tackle movies that nobody would dare to make. “The bilingual Ananda Bhairavi’ is a good example. It was a dance film with a lot of classical songs and Dwarakish cast Girish Karnad to play the lead in it.”
If he put his thoughts to it, Basavaraj says, Dwarakish would do every little thing to perform it. “A man of taste and style. There will never be another like him. I lost not just a colleague but a dear friend.”
Focus on one
KM Chaitanya met Dwarakish for the first time when he got here for the muhurat of Sumana Kittur’s Edegarike. “He told me he had watched Aa Dinagalu and liked my films but asked me why I was experimenting with so many genres instead of focusing on one. I told him I got bored repeating genres and liked to experiment.”
With Meghana Raj, Chiranjeevi Sarja and KM Chaitanya
| Photo Credit:
KM Chaitnaya
Before they met, Chaitanya says he had heard of Dwarakish, seen his work and knew him to be an formidable man. “When I wrote Aatagara with Kannan and we were looking for a producer, Kannan connected with Dwarakish’s son, Yogish. Till then Dwarakish Chitra (his banner) was known to make commercial cinema and we did not think they would be interested in an experimental film like Aatagara, which was planned as a low-budget film with 10 new comers.”
Question of attain
Yogish returned the subsequent day saying they preferred the script and have been prepared to speculate three to 4 crores on the movie. “They wanted us to bring established actors on board. It was because of Dwarakish that Aatagara became a multi-starrer film. Dwarakish told me to make the film in a commercial manner so that it reaches more people and they also enjoy watching it.”
Aatagara went on to turn out to be an enormous hit for Dwarakish Chitra and Chaitanya. “I went on to direct Aake and Amma I Love You with Dwarakish Chitra. I must be one of the last directors to have worked with Dwarakish’s production house.”
Always affected person
Though intimidated, Chaitanya consistently bombarded Dwarakish with questions. “He never got irritated and answered every query with a smile. He was proud of his successes and flops. Most producers regret their flops. But not Dwarakish. ‘He would say: ‘Africadalli Sheela was made on a grand scale. The film did not do well, but was one of the largest-budgeted films of its time’.”
Dwarakish was happy with how every little thing was bigger than life for him, says Chaitanya. He was open to new concepts and moved with the occasions. He was considered one of the few producers who appreciated new administrators and their expermentations on display screen. He believed cinema ought to be made as a product that could possibly be offered efficiently. The business angle was essential to him although he was not nervous about the originality of a movie. He was open to remakes or Hollywood inspiration.” Dwarakish, Chaitanya says was a real entertainer.