Exclusive: Yogaraj Bhat reminded me of Puttanna Kanagal: Srinath

Veteran actor Srinath, fondly known by film lovers as the Pranaya Raja, returns to the screen with a cameo in Yogaraj Bhat's Gaalipata 2. Srinath reveals that he had nurtured the desire to act with Yogaraj since Mungaru Male. Excerpts from a chat...
You return to screen after a while with Gaalipata 2. Tell us about your experience of working with Yogaraj Bhat
I am a disciple of Puttanna Kanagal.I have learnt a lot from him to be who I am today. After we lost him, I used to wonder who would be someone akin to him in the newer filmmakers. It was much later that I saw Yogaraj Bhat's Mungaru Male, which I enjoyed and felt that he matches my mentor, Puttanna's sensibilities. I was shy to contact him and kept waiting for his call. When he did call me, I was surprised and happy. He informed me that he wanted me to do a guest role of a college principal. I readily agreed. I was waiting for a good film after Suli and didn't get such roles. I shot for three days for Gaalipata 2 and it was delightful. After a long time I felt that I wanted to learn more about the craft, from Yogaraj. He was very clear about what he wanted. I enjoyed the way he managed to bring out the subtlety in emotions. He handles the artistes equally well.

You seem to be very charged after this experience
I am now all the more eager to work with newer and younger directors. We have a lot of good filmmakers like Suri, Santhosh Ananddram and Tharun Sudhir. I want them all to know that I might have grown old, but I am still fit and my memory is fine. I want to do films for as long as I can. I am confident that the cameo here will make makers think of me for their films. I am ready to even ask them for roles and keep myself occupied.
You have been a part of television at a time when satellite channels were just making their entry. Now there is OTT. What do you think of it?
I know that OTT platforms have caught the interest of people and there is a lot of new content. It also cuts down on a lot of factors like traffic and expenses. The pandemic has also got people to further think of this as a more feasible medium. It has impacted the film industry a little bit. We need to collectively come together to find a solution for that. Cinema has been a part and parcel of our lives and it needs to continue to be so. Even with new innovations, the joy of watching films in theatres is unparalleled. Cinema satisfies the mind of people. Watching films in the dark heightens that. We forget distractions, but that isn't the case when you watch something at home. So, we need to ensure theatre footfalls remain constant.
You spoke of your mentor Puttanna Kanagal. His films reached film fans beyond Karnataka even though they were made in Kannada. Today, we speak about pan-Indian films. What is your take on it?
When it comes to dubbing and pan-Indian culture today, we see two things. Content is the most important thing. Yet it is also fostering a culture where we focus more on grandeur. I keep reiterating that we come from a strong heritage of literature and good stories. If we could tell those stories with the budgets of today, I am sure Kannada film industry can be at the top today. We have always had stories that entertain the entire family. My belief, desire and faith is that those stories will touch everyone and not just Kannada audiences. I want to be around as an actor when we reach that number- one spot.