SHIVANNA IS A DIRECTOR'S ACTOR IN THE BEST SENSE

ARTHAN, the director behind the 2017 hit Mufti, is back after a hiatus with Bhairathi Ranagal, starring Shivarajkumar. While he still receives accolades for his breakthrough directorial debut, Narthan credits the lasting impact of Mufti for making his return possible.

- A SHARADHAA

ARTHAN, the director behind the 2017 hit Mufti, is back after a hiatus with Bhairathi Ranagal, starring Shivarajkumar. While he still receives accolades for his breakthrough directorial debut, Narthan credits the lasting impact of Mufti for making his return possible. "I always believed that if I had made just another regular film, I and the film would have faded from the audience's memory. But Mufti has sustained me till today. That's the reason I'm able to make a prequel now. People remember the film, and that's a big blessing," he says.

The development of Bhairathi Ranagal didn't follow a straight path either. Originally planned as his next film after Mufti, Narthan's destiny took an unexpected detour. A collaboration with the rising star Yash had to take priority. Narthan explains, "When Bhairathi Ranagal was supposed to happen right after Mufti, Shivanna had some prior commitments. At that moment, Yash and I decided to collaborate on a project, and I shifted my focus to work on that script. Shivanna never said no-he understood. But with Yash's stardom rising, we couldn't ignore the opportunity. We dedicated a year and a half just to writing and discussions for that script. And then, of course, the pandemic happened."

Given Yash's meteoric rise post-KGF, one might wonder if Narthan was drawn to his stardom or something deeper. "It wasn't just about Yash's fame," Narthan clarifies. "Yash and I had discussed doing a film much before KGF. He had already identified me as a director when I wrote a song for Masterpiece. However, the script we worked on back then didn't come together. We'll definitely work together in the future."

Coming to Bhairathi Ranagal, which is set to release on November 15, the film represents his first attempt at crafting a prequel to Mufti in Kannada. This unique film offers answers to the questions left hanging in its predecessor and takes us deep into the emotional core of its complex protagonist.