Janardhan Chikkanna, known for his acclaimed cyber thriller Gultoowill finally release his second film after a five-year break. Chikkanna returns from science fiction and is now shooting powdera full-fledged comedy thriller.
Although he has made a name for himself with GultooIt took a while for Janardhan to land his next project. “I want my films to have meaningful content, not just commercial appeal. Finding the right project took a while. Although I received many offers, I was not given the creative freedom I was looking for. Some projects did not materialize and I did not want to direct just for the sake of directing,” explains the director, who gave up 4-5 projects. He further says, “Cinema is a business, but one should be proud of one’s work and the art form. When you look back, it is important to be happy with what you have created.” With his previous film Agnyathavasi completed and awaiting publication, Janardhan Chikkanna is now looking forward to powderwhich is scheduled to hit theaters on August 23rd.
Janardhan tells how powder came about, explaining that his main goal was to collaborate with KRG Studios, which also collaborated with TVF on this project. “I wanted to work with producers Karthik Gowda and Yogi G Raj. We had been in talks on and off for a couple of years and that’s how this project came about,” he says.
As a talented writer, Janardhan decided to direct powder from a story by Deepak Venkateshan. “In 2020, I proposed a film to Karthik, but it wasn’t the right time. Later, when Powder was in development, I came on board. I prefer to focus on directing, and while rewriting is part of my process, I believe directing is where I can make the biggest contribution,” he explains.
Janardhan admits that the world of powderas a theme and genre was new and unusual for him.”powder has a comedic flair, not the typical film I usually watch. It has a different flair and I had to adapt to its unique grammar, from the script to the screen. Comedy is straightforward and it was a new challenge. I had to work hard to translate the story effectively and make significant changes to the climax to improve both the imagery and the dialogue.”
When it came to casting, Janardhan assembled a diverse ensemble cast including Diganth, Sharmiela Mandre, Dhanya Ramkumar, Rangayana Raghu, Anirudh Acharya, Achyuth Kumar, Nagabhushan and Gopal Krishna Deshpande. “The characters in the script naturally led us to the right actors. Casting was straightforward as we knew the strengths of each actor. Jaggesh was brought in on Karthik’s suggestion. His experience and presence were an advantage, especially in comedy. If there is a sequel, we plan to bring him back,” notes Janardhan.
Focusing on the individual actors, Janardhan praises Diganth for his portrayal of innocence and moral integrity. “Diganth’s creativity is impressive. Sharmiela has a challenging, physically demanding role for which she had to undergo stunt training. Dhanya and Sharmiela bring valuable insights. Rangayana Raghu is versatile and has worked with me before, but this time in a more over-the-top role. Anirudh is full of energy. This is my first time working with Gopal Krishna Deshpande and Nagabhushan, both of whom bring unique qualities to their roles.”
With many characters, Janardhan emphasized clarity for the audience, resulting in a rewritten climax. “I wanted to fully exploit the potential of each actor and deliver a satisfying ending,” he says. Drawing on his experience with Powder, the director explains, “Comedies are complicated and require precise timing and coordination between multiple actors. Directing powder was a learning process, but I enjoyed the process more and more.”
With witty dialogues and situational comedy by Trilok Trivikram and music by Vasuki Vaibhav, Janardhan is happy with the final product. “The cinematography by Shanthi Sagar and Advaitha Gurumurthy and Harikrishna’s debut editing gave the film a playful and experimental touch,” he says.
After Gultoo and am now looking forward to powderJanardhan concludes, “I hope that people judge my direction by my skill rather than by the box office numbers, which I have no control over. If they appreciate my work through these films, I am confident that I can effectively captivate them.”
