Remake? So what! Rebel star Ambarish finds no difference
Ambarish, the rebel star turned Member of Parliament from the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency, reaffirmed his stand on remake films. The state government’s announcement to cut 75 per cent tax exemption for remakes is just a statement. The government has not passed any such order as yet. Slashing the existing facility is not the remedy. Let the government give more facilities to creative people in the film industry, were Ambarish’s words. Known for being outspoken in expressing his thoughts, the actor spoke in favour of the remake producers, during a tete-a-tete on the sets of his latest starrer Diggajaru

What will happen if the Government brings out an order as announced on remakes?
Actually so far, only an announcement has been made. There should be a lot of discussion on the subject and so there is still a lot of time to think about it. We are making films for the people and they are not bothered whether you give them a straight film or a remake venture. What they want is excellent entertainment for two and a half hours. People have become very shrewd in the context of the present satellite invasion.

How about conducting an election (poll), particularly on remakes?
If we utter the letter ‘E’, the people run away from the Mandya border to the India border. Obviously, that is because they are sick of elections.

Does that mean you completely support remakes?
According to me, there is nothing wrong when a good product is made in Kannada. Many of Dr Rajkumar’s films, directed by Puttana Kanagalji, have been remade in other languages. Why were such films given to them at that time? I still remember the days of Ganda Berunda. People from the Telugu and Tamil film industry came to look at the rushes eagerly to take the rights to make the films in their languages. In such cases, only the subject is given, and not the artistes. Not all language releases are remade here. Only those suited to our culture are taken by our producers. We use our own artistes and technicians, and do the shooting here in Karnataka. I don’t see any obstacle. Those who are not making films and sitting idle are creating confusion. This is improper. Do not remove the existing facility. Give extra for more creative people. I think I will convince the chief minister.

Has any of your straight films bombed at the box office?
I had done a film titled Yelu Suttina Kote. It was a novel running into 2000 odd pages, reduced to a film. It was released long ago. It got rave reviews but the people rejected it. Recently, a friend of mine came and said it was an excellent film. I told him to get out. He had seen it on the small screen. You have watched it free, so you are opining like this, I told him. What counts a lot is the projection of subjects and marketing of films. When I do a doctor’s role, they force me to fight. Even if I say that it is not correct, the producers look at my image and calculate their market.

How are you faring with your busy film schedules?
When I come to muhurats to say ‘Hallo or Hai’, it takes me two hours just to do that. My attachment with people is like that. That’s why I say I don’t want to come to the Pooja of a film. I have told a lot of people not to ask my call sheet. They want it for pure love they have for me. For this film Diggajaru, I had agreed some two years ago. For senior K. Raghavendra Rao’s Sri Manjunatha, I had asked to play a role with my wife. I told KRR that it is extremely difficult to act as I have plenty of assignments. He is a great director and I am his fan. He told me that he would adjust to my timings. What can I say when such a stalwart says that. In fact I once told my guruji Sri Puttanna Kanagal, that it was not possible. I don’t want a lot of people to wait for me. I want to maintain punctuality but it is not possible. I was not able to attend the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee meeting when the new president took charge. I felt bad because as an MP I could not make it.

After becoming the Member of Parliament, have you taken up any causes of the film industry which need to be solved?
The Mumbai industry felicitated all cinema stars turned Members of Parliament. The problems are not only with regard to the Kannada film industry. They are of an all-embracing nature.

Is there a big laxity with regard to Single window policy?
The permission should be there free for Kannada films. I was a party to one of my films shooting at Karighatta. An official came and tried to create a disturbance. He strongly objected even after myself requesting him. In another case, when the camera was fixed at a particular place, a house owner came and said that his house was likely to come in the film and demanded money. The system has to change totally. We cannot shoot on Mahatma Gandhi Road. When we went to Singapore to shoot at a prime place, the entire area was cleared of all traffic at 9 am sharp. Our producers cannot show the same places in every film. Look at the huge expenditure done for a song in the film Indian.
With that song-budget, our people can produce five films. Allow the producers freedom to produce films because, first and foremost, he should be hale and hearty.


Vashistha