The only actor in the Kannada film industry who works on more than one film at a time and finishes his projects quickly to move on to the next is Century Star Shivarajkumar. And this is at a time when the trend, especially among A-list actors and filmmakers across industries, is to make one film every 2-3 years. Shivarajkumar, though, can’t wrap his head around this trend.

Speaking to RJ Nethra on Star Express, during the promotions of Bhairathi Ranagal, Shivarajkumar wondered that if the story and all pre-production is done and dusted, why are there still delays during the making? “My suggestion to everyone is to spend enough time in planning every aspect of the shoot and go on floor only when everything is ready. Then, the likelihood of delays is next to minimal. This will benefit producers greatly,” reckons the Hattrick hero, adding that if a film is made with extensive visual effects that take months and years to complete, film teams ought to just do the entire film with computer graphics, he asks.

“Often, films get started and then there are delays of several months, before work is resumed again. This creates uncertainty for those associated with filmmaking, especially the daily wage earners in different departments. If film shoots are planned well in advance, there will be no such issues and these workers will be ensured of a regular income,” says Shivarajkumar, adding that quicker turnaround of films will ensure that theatres are sustained.

The actor says that he’s been told that films now take time in the making because of the quality of story-telling involved. He, however, doesn’t buy the argument, countering that there are innumerable movies with simple making and stories that have done phenomenal business at the box office. “Everything doesn’t have to be about grandeur onscreen,” he says, citing the example of the Telugu film Uppena. “There are smaller, but impactful films being made in other industries; why not here?” he wonders.

Shivarajkumar draws on his experience of nearly 4 decades in the industry and says that when he is approached for a film and the team asks him for 100 days of shoot, he does a quick calculation if it is a justified ask. “Let’s say there are 50 scenes; why would you need 100 days to shoot this? The next question is how many hours do you work a day? If I start by 9 am, when do I wind up? How many days of night shoot are a part of this schedule? Calculate all of this and then plan your shoots. Giving 100 days dates is not the issue, it is about whether that time is utilized well. It can’t be about doing 1 shot in a day and going back home,” he reasons.

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