Director MansoRe to portray the life and times of Rani Abbakka, in his next

Fresh from the success of

Act 1978

, MansoRe has already announced his next. This time, the director has chosen to depict the story of the 16th century

Tuluva queen of Karavali

,

Rani Abbakka

and the film is titled Abbakka, after her. “I have to say that I’m drawn to women-centric stories, which is also kind of obvious if you look at my career trajectory. And Rani Abbakka’s is a story that is so compelling and motivating - especially for women - that I had to do it,” he says.
MansoRe points out that women-centric films are not just about 'golu kathegalu' (weeping sagas). “They can be stories of strength and inspiration, too. Rani

Abbakka

was a fierce woman who stood eye-to-eye when her kingdom was threatened to be taken over by the Portuguese invaders, and foiled their attempts for over four decades. In a region that had so many different communities, she worked in harmony with all of them. It makes for such a captivating tale,” states MansoRe, who also wants to promote the message of communal harmony through this film.
The story, of course, demands a huge canvas and the director wants to make it on a grand scale, but with a realistic tone. “I have been meeting with historians and collecting material for the past two years. We are looking at shooting in the outskirts of Mangaluru near the beaches, the forests of Dandeli and make-believe forts. As for the leading lady, my biggest criterion is that there should be fearlessness in her eyes. Because that’s what Abbakka was called: Abhaya Rani, the fearless one,” avers MansoRe.

— Madhu Daithota