‘Agni’ Sridhar turns director

Don-turned-writer Agni Sridhar’s much awaited directorial debut is nearing. After editing a Kannada tabloid for 10 years, Sridhar turned to writing for kannada films. He wrote for the films Aa Dinagalu, Slum Bala and Kallara Sante; the last will release shortly.

Now, he is trying his hand at direction. Kannada movie star Shiva Rajkumar will play the lead in the film based on a relationship between a Hindu and a Muslim. The plans of the film, titled Tamas, were announced a while ago. The shooting for it is now scheduled to start in October and the budget is estimated at Rs 3 crore plus. Agni Sridhar says that this film, even with its comparatively smaller budget, will compete with any bigbudget non-Kannada film.

The three kannada films Sridhar has written till now are supposedly based on real incidents he saw in his days as a ‘don’. However, the details of the new film have been kept under wraps. Sumana Kittur, who has directed Slum Bala and Kallara Sante, was supposed to be on the job. But it was heard that she would be directing a film titled Edegarike. Later some reports claimed that Sridhar himself will be directing the film. Now sources say Edegarike is not Suman’s next and that it will only happen after Sridhar’s new film is made.