I can say it with full confidence that Bairagee is unlike any other mass entertainer: Director Vijay Milton

The well-known cinematographer makes his Kannada directorial debut with Bairagee starring Shiva Rajkumar, Dhananjaya, and others.

Filmmaker Vijay Milton

Cinematographer-turned-director Vijay Milton is all set to make his Kannada debut on July 1 with Bairagee; one could claim that things couldn't have begun on a better note for him. The film features an exciting ensemble cast led by no other than Shiva Rajkumar and thanks to the underlying socially relevant story, Vijay Milton is a confident man ahead of the release.

"This will be quite a different experience for the audience, I can guarantee. In fact, I will challenge that very few films are of this kind," asserts Milton and goes on to add that although his film is a mass entertainer, none of it is contrived to please the varied tastes of the audience.

"It's a massy film, no doubt, but with a really strong story. Normally, one doesn't get to see these two factors combined because it's either a hero-oriented film, an out-and-out action film, or a comedy film but Bairagee is a blend of it all. But that doesn't mean that we have included scenes just for the sake of it - the comedy or the romance portions aren't just placeholders but seamlessly integrated into the story- no random scenes of lowbrow humor for the youth nor the unnecessary fan-appeasing stuff. Pruthvi Ambaar and Shiva Rajkumar's characters carry a light-hearted charm and their scenes together will be hilarious, not in a slapstick manner but as authentic situational humor. And at the same time, there will be a tone shift when Shivanna and Daali Dhananjaya show up on the screen, it will be lit by their intensity - the romance too doesn't derail the story but only enhances the impact," shares Vijay Milton.

Another interesting trait of Bairagee, he reveals, is that it doesn't draw binaries with respect to the characters' morality. Unlike the usual hero-villain tropes, one is likely to find each character being on the right side of things but it's the misunderstandings that elevate the drama. "I get the sense that most films, of late, are about slightly morally-compromised protagonists. You'd find the hero to be on the wrong side of morality and even fighting for the wrong things - not sure why but that seems to be a pattern.

But I wanted to break that and make each character of Bairagee a good/ well-intended individual. You will see that be it that both hero and villain are actually on the same side and even fighting for the same cause, except that there are misunderstandings between them. Sure, the drama is heightened but the attempt is to not categorize characters. In its own way, the film is a take on how society misbehaves or ill-treats its women, in subtle or outrageous ways, and I only hope that my film brings about a change to some extent among those who watch it," adds Vijay Milton.

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