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Looking at Shivrajkumar's Tamassu

Agni Sreedhar, who had scripted Aa Dinagalu debuts as a director with this week's big Kannada release Tamassu.

The film according to the team is a journey of Shankar, a police officer, from darkness to light. The film explores the relationship between Shankar, played by Shivarajkumar and his wife Shanti, a peace loving doctor, simultaneously touching upon issues such as terrorism and religious riots.

"Tamassu is a celebration of human spirit as well as Shivanna's acting," says Sreedhar who has also written the script and screenplay.

The film unfolds the story of a Hindu police officer's humane relationship with a Muslim family. It reflects on the need to go beyond religion and join hands in the name of humanity. Some bits in the film are based on true incidents that took place in Gujarat.

Looking at Shivrajkumar's Tamassu

This is Shivanna's fourth police officer role. "I was very kicked when I was offered this role but when the shooting started I was a bit nervous and wondered if I could do justice to the role. But today I'm glad I've done this film as it is in the same league as my Chigurida Kanasu," said Shivrajkumar.

Sreedhar clears all of Shivanna's apprehensions by saying, "His has given an award-winning performance. There is a scene between heroine Padma Priya and him in where he is very good. The scene has the same intensity like that of the Waheda Rehman-Dilip Kumar conversation in Mashaal. In fact  Padma Priya who debuts in Kannada with the film, felt that he was in the same league as Mohanlal and Mammootty."

Looking at Shivrajkumar's Tamassu

Shivanna also holds his director in high regard and returns the compliments by saying Sreedhar never felt like a first time director. "He is very clear in his thoughts and I admire his sense of framing and lighting."     

The actor is also impressed with Sreedhar's daughter Ramya Sreedhar, who has worked as an assistant director in the film.

"She suggested a few changes to my acting style which didn't go down well with Sreedhar, but I didn't mind at all. It's good to garner opinions," he says.

The scene was where Shivanna had to interact with a child, recalls Ramya. "I felt a need for him to emote a bit differently and he took the suggestions sportingly."

Looking at Shivrajkumar's Tamassu

Ramya has also penned the lyrics for three of the five songs directed by Sandeep Chowta.

"Dad was initially not ready to take the risk by giving me the songs. But then my mother told him how I used to write poems since my younger days. Finally he asked me to write and said he would consider.

"Later Sandeep heard the lines and liked them. Then after dad had no choice but to accept. Since I was involved in the film making process from the initial stages, I could feel the characters and understand the mood that the songs needed to create."

While one song is a pathos, the other is an upbeat romantic number. Her favourite however is a song that is sung between a brother and sister.

Looking at Shivrajkumar's Tamassu

Sandeep was so impressed with the young lass, that he has offered to give her a Hindi song soon. Shaan, Neha Kakkar, Roop Kumar Rathore, Sowmya Rao and Nakash Aziz have sung the songs.

Asked Ramya how it has been working with her father and she quips, "He is a hard task master. Also while as a father he sets the rules, as a director, he is very open to ideas."

Nasser, Sharath Lohitashwa, Shobraj, Satya, Sudha Belawadi and others form the supporting cast. Yash and Sudha Rani make special appearances.

The film has been awarded an A-certificate due to the wordings of a song.