Inspired by the spirit of Kannada classics like ‘Boothayyana Maga Ayyu’, the film revolves around survival, human resilience and the consequences of ignoring nature’s warnings.
‘Havamana Varadi’, (Weather report) an upcoming Kannada film, promises to offer an intense survival drama with nature playing a pivotal role in the narrative. Drawing inspiration from the tradition of meaningful Kannada cinema, including the classic ‘Boothayyana Maga Ayyu’, the film places the struggle for survival at the centre of its storytelling. The teaser of the film was unveiled recently, generating curiosity about this interesting cinematic venture. The making of the film was further more interesting.
Produced by Hariprasad under the Lalitha Productions banner, the film marks the directorial debut of TV9 journalist and programme head Sharat Chakravarthy. Interestingly, the project is the result of a long-standing friendship and a shared dream.
Speaking about the film, producer Hariprasad said that he has been a close friend of actor Shivaraj K.R. Pete for the past 19 years. It was his long-standing desire to make a film, and ‘Havamana Varadi’ has finally given him the opportunity to realize that dream. He has also played a small role in the film. The team is hoping for a December release.
Director Sharat Chakravarthy, who has been associated with TV9 as a journalist and programme head, said that he and Shivaraj K.R. Pete have shared a friendship spanning 14 years.
“Moving from friendship and writing to filmmaking has been an exciting journey. Initially, we had the story and the enthusiasm to make a film, but arranging the finances was a major challenge. Later, our friends came forward and pooled in the money, which gave us the courage to take this project forward,” he said.
Explaining the film’s central idea, Sharat said that the story explores what happens when people ignore the warnings and lessons that life and nature offer. The consequences of disregard of such warnings form the crux of the narrative. Understanding and respecting nature is another important theme explored in the film.
The shooting was carried out under challenging circumstances, particularly around the Hemavathi backwaters, where specially erected sets helped recreate the required environment. The director said that none of the artistes offered excuses despite the extreme conditions and everyone cooperated wholeheartedly.
“We had taken all necessary safety precautions and arranged adequate safety equipment to ensure that nobody was harmed or injured during the shoot. We also captured footage during the last rainy season to achieve the desired natural effect. There is no computer-generated imagery involved in the film,” he explained.
The film has six songs, four of which have been penned by Hridaya Shiva, while the remaining two have been written by the director himself.
Cinematographer Shekhar spoke about the challenges of capturing the film’s distinctive visual atmosphere. The team used underwater photography, along with both real and artificial rain in selected portions, to bring authenticity and the desired visual impact to the narrative.
Music plays an important role in the film. Composer Aparajit, who could not attend the media interaction, has composed the music, while popular music director Ajaneesh Loknath has also contributed a song.
Actor Shivaraj K.R. Pete, who plays the lead role, recalled how the director approached him with the story and entrusted him with the responsibility of playing the central character. “When Sharat narrated the story to me, I asked him to consider another actor for the role. However, he was very particular that I should play the character. The shooting was extremely challenging, as we had to remain in water from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for nearly 14 days. It was a completely different experience,” he said.
Having acted in around 85 films, Shivaraj said that every film brings a different challenge and that no two experiences are alike. Preparing for this role required him to learn swimming, for which he practiced at the swimming pool in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, even during night hours. He also spoke about the importance of the film’s emotional content and its potential to connect with audiences.
Actress Niriksha Rao, who plays Uma, said that she took a keen interest in learning swimming for the film. She appreciated director Sharat Chakravarthy’s patience and the way he guided the artistes throughout the shooting process.
“My character Uma has an important place in the story. I thoroughly enjoyed learning swimming and preparing for the role. Some of the sequences were quite demanding, with nearly eight hours of work in challenging conditions,” she said. Niriksha also mentioned that ‘Havamana Varadi’ comes after her earlier film ‘Rajayoga’.
At the teaser launch, lyricist Hridaya Shiva wished the entire team good luck and expressed his happiness over the film’s journey.
With its survival-based storyline, challenging backwater sequences, underwater photography and an emphasis on the relationship between human beings and nature, ‘Havamana Varadi’ appears to be an interesting addition to Kannada cinema. The film aims to remind audiences of an important truth: nature gives us warnings, and ignoring them can come at a heavy price.
Divya Vinay Kumar, Pratibha Ashwatthama and H.R. Raghu have also invested in the film.
