PremiumArchana Jois: I enjoy the KGF-fame tag, but it’s time to move on and Kshetrapathi is a step in that direction
Last Updated: 01.13 PM, Aug 14, 2023
Archana Jois’ prefix has been ‘KGF-fame’ for the last few years, something she is still stuck with, but is hoping to break free from one film at a time. “As much as I enjoy the tag ‘KGF-fame’, I think it is time for me to move on and be recognized as something else,” says Archana, talking to OTTplay ahead of the release of her next, Kshetrapath i, in which she is paired with her Hondisi Bareyiri co-star Naveen Shankar yet again. The film, set in north Karnataka, is a hard-hitting entertainer about the farmers’ crisis and releases in theatres on August 18
Leaving KGF’s Santhamma behind…
Getting typecast is an occupational hazard. In fact, I was speaking to Prashant (Neel) sir recently, when we met at composer Ravi Basrur’s studio, and discussed how my identity has become KGF’s Rocky Bhai’s mother. He told me that this is a by-product of being in such a big film and doing a character that had a massive impact. He believes that I need to give it time to find another role that is as big or bigger to break out of the KGF tag. The way I look at it, it is probably difficult for Yash as well, because he’s only seen as Rocky Bhai now.
Having said that, I also realize that it is not going to be an easy task given the boundaries that I have set myself as an artiste. For instance, as a heroine, I am not comfortable with intimate scenes, as well as certain ‘revealing’ costumes for the sake of glamour. More importantly, when I am approached as the leading lady, I do not want it to be a character that is just there and doesn’t contribute anything to the narrative. I cannot do the song-and-dance routine also. There has to be substance to the role. Although acting is what I want to do, I will not do any and every role that comes my way. Within the set parameters, there are only a handful of characters that suit me, within which I have to find the ones that I like, in terms of role, crew, banner, etc.
Finding a footing in hero-driven industry
My next release is Kshetrapathi, a content-rich commercial film that is hero-driven. As Bhumika, a journalist, my character is not there to provide emotional support to Naveen’s Basava. She uses her profession to help the cause that Basava is fighting for. I agree that compared to the protagonist, my screen time and space to perform is a lot less, but nevertheless, Bhumika as a character has a part to play in the narrative.
As an artiste, though, it is challenging to find roles that are worth your while. Today, there are films that give equal prominence to the hero and heroine, and put emphasis on the performance of the artistes. These are still few and far between and the hope is that this kind of cinema and the tribe of filmmakers behind them grows abundantly.
Getting to play characters her age
In recent times, among the films that I have taken up that are in sync with my guidelines, there was Hondisi Bareyiri and now, Kshetrapathi, that have had fantastic scripts and portrayed me in characters suiting my actual age. In Kshetrapathi, Bhumika is dead-serious about her profession and what she can do within that realm, but there’s also a playful and romantic side to her, which will be refreshing for audiences and show them a different side to Archana Jois from what they have seen so far.
From the time I did KGF, I have been clear that playing Santhamma, Rocky Bhai’s mother, was an exception. I think that there is a misconception within the film fraternity that I am middle-aged or older – many do not know that I am much younger than what I’ve been shown as onscreen in KGF. In fact, when the team of Hondisi Bareyiri was discussing casting me for the role of Pallavi, there were some who thought I was too old for it and even referred to me as ‘Aunty’. It was only when they met me in person that they realized that I am actually quite young.
One thing that I am aware is that the kind of roles that come to me will be of a more serious nature. I am playing a journalist in Kshetrapathi and my upcoming film Ghost with Shivarajkumar sir. And while I cannot discuss my role in Yudhakaanda, it is an important, performance-oriented character. The general perception that people have of me is that I am a ‘serious’ person. That’s probably because how I am seen in public or in interviews. Hopefully, filmmakers who have collaborated with me and know that I am actually quite fun-loving, will want to work with me again and give me the kind of roles that are better suit for my age and personality.