Once Upon A Time in Jamaligudda is a simple film that may not meet fan expectations: Dhananjaya

Daali Dhananjaya is all set to close out the year with his next release, Once Upon A Time in Jamaligudda. The film, which was pushed ahead from a September theatrical outing, has been directed by Kushal Gowda of Kannadakaagi Ondannu Otti fame. With only two weeks to go for the film’s release, the team got together to release the trailer.

Speaking at the event, Dhananjaya, who plays the protagonist Hiroshima, said that director Kushal literally chased him for almost a month, saying that this was a role that he ought to do. “The way he kept following up with me, I could not say no to him. But more importantly, the outline of the story that he’d told me seemed immensely intriguing. I found in him a very passionate filmmaker, which is very important for any project. Interestingly, when I took up the film, I told Kushal that I may not have dates for at least a year. All that he said was that he needed me during September-October only, as he was planning to shoot it during a particular season,” he said, adding, “Once Upon a Time in Jamaligudda is a feel-good film. I understand that my fans will expect me in a different avatar, with action and other commercial elements, but sometimes, when certain stories come to you, there is an urge to do it. Simple stories also need to be told. These are the ‘different’ subjects that need to be encouraged. This film is one such attempt, which has been made with a lot of goodwill and passion and is meant for family audiences.”

What was also amazing about working on the film, said Dhananjaya, is that he got to work with a massive ensemble cast, including Aditi Prabhudeva, Nandagopal, Yash Shetty, Praanya, Triveni Rao, Mayuri Natraj and Prakash Belwadi, among others.