‘Kabzaa’ and the after effects: Director R Chandru on ‘Kabzaa 2’, criticism and conspiracy

R Chandru, the director of the recent pan-Indian period gangster drama ‘Kabzaa’, opens up on the criticism to the film, and his plans for its sequel

Kannada filmmaker R Chandru takes the business side of the film industry very seriously. He believes that a director’s biggest motto is to ensure his producer doesn’t suffer big losses. But there is also a flip side to this kind of approach. In an attempt to generate enough buzz around a film, a director could miss out on the importance of writing.

Except for his delightfully-subtle coming-of-age film  Charminar, none of Chandru’s films is particularly known for its in-depth writing. His latest much-hyped period gangster drama  Kabzaa — starring Upendra in the lead and Sudeep and Shivarajkumar in cameo roles — is no different; the common criticism has been its similarities to the KGF films.

It isn’t the first time that Chandru has capitalised on a blockbuster film’s template. On the back of  Mungaru Male’s sensational success, the industry saw many tearjerker romantic dramas, with Chandru making two such films in  Taj Mahal and  Prem Kahani.

People might call him an opportunist, but for Chandru, it’s all about being aware of the different trends in the industry. For someone who rose from humble beginnings with no formal training in filmmaking, it’s remarkable how he has withstood failures, and continuous criticism to remain in the business. Like it or not, he has even gained the confidence of the biggest of stars in the industry, like Shivarajkumar, Upendra, and Sudeep, who heap praise on “ his hard-working nature”.

Having recently announced a sequel to  Kabzaa, he talks about the criticism to the first installment, the shortcomings in the film, people mistaking his straightforward nature for brazen confidence, and the “conspiracy” that stopped his maiden pan-Indian film from tasting success in the Hindi belt. Excerpts:

I am happy with my growth. I hail from a farmer’s family in Keshavara village in Chikkaballapura. Growing up, luxury was an alien concept to me. I could only dream of eating at places like Leela Palace and Lalit Ashok. I might not be much educated, but I learnt the craft of filmmaking by observing. During my five-year stint assisting director S Narayan, I understood how the industry functions, the market of different heroes and how the neighbouring industries see Sandalwood. My first aim as a rookie filmmaker was to make a solid film within the budget given to me and ensure that the producer was safe. After a while, I decided to turn producer as I didn’t want to put anybody at risk. At the end of the day cinema is business.

When I made the Telugu remake of  Charminar, I wasn’t given a huge budget despite the original being a hit. Today, Kannada filmmakers are making heads turn with their content. The industry’s market has increased. So, I sensed an opportunity and made Kabzaa. I have had a ‘do-or-die’ attitude in life. Like a farmer, I believe in hard work. While shooting for my debut feature  Taj Mahal, Anant Nag sir told me that he had seen different types of filmmakers but hadn’t seen a director with a farmer’s determination like me.