Diganth comes to Pawan's rescue

By his own admission, when Diganth wrapped up Lifeu Ishtene six months ago, he didn't expect to work with its director, Pawan Kumar, any time soon.
'We had spoken of working with each other in the future, but I didn't think it'd happen this early,' says Diganth, adding, 'Pawan is so talented and original in his ideas. That is exactly what Sandalwood needs. When I read about the difficulties Pawan was facing with the casting and funding for his next film Lucia, I felt bad that nobody wanted to support him.'
Pawan had approached several stars for the film before he signed on Diganth. 'I wish the industry was more receptive to new talent. Lucia is a good script and if I get to be part of it, I have no complaints about not being Pawan's first choice,' says the actor.
In a bid to support the director, Diganth will also take a cut in his remuneration. 'I am aware of the financial constraints of the project. When no producer came forward to fund it, Pawan sourced money through online appeal. It's a unique achievement for Sandalwood. We will ensure that our supporters don't feel cheated and will aim to repay with good returns,' says Diganth.
So why didn't Pawan think of approaching Diganth at the beginning? 'We have already worked on three films and I thought I should work with actors too. I am back to working with an actor with whom I share a great rapport,' says Pawan.
The director is also relieved that he doesn't have to work around a star image in his script. 'Diganth's fans are open to any role he plays. Our combination has worked perfectly in the past and I hope we have winner on our hands this time, too,' says Pawan.
More about Lucia...
Being funded through an online pledge, Lucia will also be a platform for new talent that is being scouted for on social networking sites. 'We will be enlisting people for music direction, makeup, styling, cinematography, art direction, still photography and choreography from the promo videos they upload,' says Pawan. ' None of the investors are aware of the storyline or cast. They are Kannadigas who are scattered across the globe, including Paris, Australia, The Netherlands, UK and USA.