It’s been a few years since
Bharat Sarja’s launch vehicle,
Pulakeshi
, a break he insists happened because the films he took up thereafter didn’t take off for some reason or the other. He is now set to return with this week’s release,
Prayanikara Gamanakke
, a film that he says has a strong subject.
“When director Manohar gave me a narration, the story really impressed me. While I was also intrigued by the character offered to me, which had two distinct shades in the narrative and gave me a lot of scope to perform, I looked at the film in totality and thought it was quite appealing. The story has been inspired by an actual incident involving a diamond merchant out to catch a long-distance
bus
and given a fictionalised spin with a bunch of characters. I play the
driver
of the pick-up bus that ferries passengers from Anand Rao Circle to the outskirts of the city. Since the story unfolds between 6 pm and midnight on one day, we had a lot of night shoots,” says Bharat.
Shooting at night was quite the revelation for the actor. “The Majestic area literally comes to life at night. There is so much activity with all the outbound buses ready to ferry passengers, the constant inflow of passengers, etc. It was quite an experience. Also, since the story unfolds on a bus, the entire cast was on set all the time. We had a gala time shooting for the film, but onscreen, I am hardly ever seen interacting with any of them,” he says.
The role also required Bharat to get a makeover. “Around the time we were to begin shooting for Prayanikara Gamanakke, I was nursing a back injury, due to which I was on complete bed rest. Since I wasn’t working out, I had put on some weight and Manohar thought that having me in a heavier avatar would suit the character, as a lot of bus drivers have such physiques owing to their sedentary lifestyles and long hours of driving. So, even after I resumed my workout regime, I had to change it to ensure that I would bulk up. In the process I put on close to 20 kgs,” says Bharat.
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