This sounds interesting when we talk about three generations of illustrious writers, journalists, directors, and stormy petrels, the Lankesh family.
Such glorious personalities as P Lankesh, his son Indrajith, and his daughter Kavitha have established themselves in the field of direction. Of course, the tragic departure of Gauri Lankesh, the eldest daughter of the family, was deeply felt.
Now, it is interesting that P Lankesh’s grandson, the third generation, is stepping into cinema as an actor with solid preparation. That is Samarjith Lankesh.
Indrajith Lankesh, remembering his father (Andu), gives information on Indu (the current scenario of his film Gauri) and talks with pride about Mundu (the future, specifically the days of his son Samarjith as a handsome hero).
Known for his wit and polished and accomplished work, Indrajith Lankesh shared the following chat excerpts. We bring in ‘ANDU’ from Indrajith Lankesh as he remembers his father in a chat.
MY LOVELY FATHER – Kannada literature cannot forget the works of P Lankesh as editor of ‘Lankesh Patrike’. Without advertising support and dependent only on circulation, Lankesh Patrike made a strong impact. The storm it created was followed by many but none lived up to such an impact.
After his professorship at Bengaluru University, my father evinced interest in film direction. When he took up his first film, ‘Pallavi’, he had only a few hundred rupees. A passerby was called and instantly selected as the hero. That was TN Seetharam, who excels today. When my father could not find an actor for the second hero role in ‘Pallavi’, he looked at the thirty-year-old coat in the hanger and found the second hero in himself. P Lankesh, with that coat, managed the scenes impeccably, Indrajith remembers. For the food required on set, my mother Indira used to prepare 200 chapatis and curd rice. Such a shoestring budget film eventually scored well.
For another film, Dr. SPB was set to sing, and the music director was eagerly waiting for the lyrics. P Lankesh wrote the song ‘Kempadavo Ella Kempadavo’ on a cigarette pack cover on the spot—a record-breaking song indeed.
When my father P Lankesh passed away, he had only a few thousand rupees as a bank balance. Similarly, my elder sister Gauri also had only Rs.7000 as her bank balance. But the pillars of democracy were shaking as long as they lived, recalls Indrajith.
Next is Indu and Mundu – Indrajith Lankesh and his son Samarjith Lankesh.
