DARSHAN’S DAZE
Ready For Any Novelty

Interview - CNB             Photos - Chitraloka File     Date - 04th January, 2003

After dazzling performance in 13 films Darshan is a dazed hero today. His films have made it good at the box office but one or two producers telling him that his film failed and did not return investment has put Darshan in a dangling spot. Obviously Darshan was referring to ‘Namma Preethiya Ramu’ his career best performance film.

In a chat at the Green House Restaurant in Gandhinagar Bangalore Darshan was baffled for another question. Is it true that you are charging Rs.28 lakhs? If that is so over and above Rs.10 lakhs I would like to donate it to the poor. Such rumor is nonsense. I would jump in joy for such remuneration disclosed Darshan.

With ‘Dharma’ ready for release and ‘Darshan’ (a film in his own name) requiring for some re-shoot, Darshan is currently doing ‘Arya’ signed ‘Ayya’ for director Om Prakash Rao.

• Why he is upset about the ‘Namma Preethiya Ramu’?
  What to do. After such a performance the producers delayed the film. When they released ‘Daasa’ another film of mine came together. Action film ‘Daasa’ crushed my own ‘Namma Preethiya Ramu’ at the box office. After nine months of ‘lankesh patrike’ there were no films of mine. ‘Namma Preethiya Ramu’ could have come at this gap. Now producers blame me for this. In what way I am concerned. You know the struggle I have undergone. My eye sight is in problem now. I am forced to wear spectacles. I am having headache even today for raising my eye ball and acting as a blind man. 
  

• What is that you have decided after this shabby experience?
  Do a film of commercial value. As a matter of fact there were no elements in ‘Daasa’. But the action portion clicked heavily at the box office. 
   

• Coming to your fans. You have many associations in Bangalore Mysore Highway…..
  But really my fame audience like the action film. They all like ‘Kariya’ the swashbuckling film. But boys are liking ‘Laali Haadu’ and ‘Namma Preethiya Ramu’. In my grand mother’s place at Ponnampet some teenage girls surrounded me and appreciated ‘Kariya’ and ‘Daasa’. They told me I should do such more and more films. 

• Do you have any touching role to perform once again after ‘Namma Preethiya Ramu’?
  I have looked at one person at Maravanthe Beach. That person has no lower jaw including the chin on his face. He speech is partially understandable. I have collected four photographs of that person. I am finding whether I can do something with that person as character on screen. 

• Do you propose multi-star films? 
  This is possible in Kannada. A story like ‘Hum’, ‘Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gum’ and appropriate director and producer could easily work out here. 

• You are still a speed star on high ways?
  Yes. In Skoda car I reach Mysore from my BTM layout house in one hour. I reach Shimoga in 2 hours 15 minutes from Scorpio. 

• Your ambition is still not yet fulfilled?
  A powerful villain role I would do definitely. If it takes 10 years I would wait.