2024 will be a great year for Kannada cinema: Dhananjaya

It was a year full of interesting experiments in the Kannada film industry with small, content-driven films making an impact. Among the frontrunners spearheading change in his own way was actor Dhananjaya who continued his run as a producer with as many as three films in 2023. “The year went by without as many star-driven films on the screens as there should have been. While a lot of small films have stood their ground, a good number of star-driven films is necessary to maintain balance in the business of films. 2024, in that way, will be a much better year for the Kannada film industry because there are a lot of big-budget films that are expected to hit the screens,” explains Dhananjaya. He tells us about his vision for the film industry and what would be the ideal way forward in the new year. Excerpts:
‘NEWCOMERS MUST BE NURTURED; STAR-DRIVEN FILMS ARE IMPORTANT FOR BUSINESS’
Over the few years since he turned producer, Dhananjaya says he has focused on backing projects that feature new directors and technicians. “We are in the business of selling dreams and when you do not find a producer or team to back your dreams, you tend to work towards figuring out how to make your dreams come true yourself. That is probably the reason why you find so many people who manage different combinations of jobs – there are so many of us who are actor-producer, actor-writer, actor-director, etc. Turning producer, for me, at the time was a necessity more than a choice. I had to create my own way. This is one of the main reasons why I back films helmed by newcomers. With new directors comes new ideas, new teams, new actors and new talent across departments. That flow is great for the overall health of the film industry,” he explains. Having said that, the actor also says, “There is an audience for all sorts of films and the most important sort of films that get the cycle of this business run smoothly are the star-driven films. In 2023, not many of the stars here had films ready for release. That affected the overall balance for the year. The new year will be a revamp of sorts because there are a lot of star-driven films that are scheduled for release. I, personally, have three films in the pipeline, including Uttarakhand and Anna from Mexico; and will be the happiest if all three do hit the screens within the year.”
‘SOUTH TALENTS MERGING ACROSS BORDERS ARE A GREAT WAY TO INCREASE THE REACH AND SUCCESS OF A FILM’
The year gone by has seen a steep rise in the number of actors appearing in films and on television in other states across the south. “The merging of such talent is great for business. For instance, Kannada star Shivarajkumar’s presence in Tamil star Rajinikanth’s film Jailor, opened up a world where fans of both the actors enjoyed the camaraderie on screen. This increases the reach and therefore adds to the BO collections. However, it is mandatory that the story, first, has to be good, for any of such mergers and shared talent to help the film reach its full potential of success,” says Dhananjaya.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”