Pramod Shetty: Laughing Buddha will finally take off in October this year

After the two-year Covid-induced break, Kannada actor Pramod Shetty is in a happy space. “This year has been quite fruitful. I have had a few film releases and there’s more to come. This week, I am part of a film called 9 Sullu Kathegalu, then later this month, I will be seen in Rishab Shetty’s new directorial, Kantara. I am also starting the shoot of a film called Kashiyatra, in which I am playing the lead. Some time in October we are hopeful of re-starting Laughing Buddha, which was launched before the pandemic, but has been delayed since then, as we were not able to match artiste dates and figure out schedules. I think by the end of the year I will have at least 10 releases,” says Pramod.

The actor adds that he is quite hopeful about Kantara striking the right chord with audiences. “It’s a story that unfolds in a mysterious forest and follows the disputes between the people that live there, their customs and rituals, and the question of control over certain areas, whether it goes to the people there or the government. It’s a story that’s rooted deeply in folk lore and the culture of people in that region,” he explains, adding, “When you present a story from a region that you have known all your life, it has the potential to touch hearts. Kantara is one such attempt. In the past, there has been a complaint that Rishab’s films are meant for multiplex audiences only, but this time around, we believe there are enough commercial aspects that will appeal to everyone.”

9 Sullu Kathegalu, meanwhile, is an anthology based on the Navarasas. “There are nine short stories that don’t necessarily connect to each other, but in the end, there is a beautiful message about how there is a demon in every person. It is up to each person whether this demon follows a path of good or evil. When director Manjunath narrated the story to me, this aspect is what appealed to me,” says Pramod.