Vishnuvardhan sees hope in newcomers

Kannada super star Vishnuvardhan is very happy with the entry of new entrants into the industry and says they are bringing in fresh blood to Kannada films.

"Ganesh came to me recently and I was very happy to see him getting so much media support," Vishnuvardhan told IANS.

After the success of "Mungaru Male", Ganesh is touted as the current heartthrob of the Kannada film industry.

Citing similarities in their careers, the actor said: "When I got my first break in 'Nagarahaavu' similar things happened. A lot of people from various parts of the Indian film industry came to Bangalore to see the film.

"Veeraswamy, the film's producer, would telephone me about how some top personalities from Mumbai and Chennai had come to Bangalore to see the film. But 35 years back, there wasn't so much media hype about such things."

Vishnuvardhan's next film is "Ee Bhandana", and he says it will convey some great message. "The is sure to impress audiences who believe in value-based films. It is a mega-budget venture from a team led by actor Ravichandran."

He appreciated Ravichandran for showing interest in making such a big film and also appreciated the work culture on the sets of his films.

"He always tries to venture into unexplored areas and prove his mettle. Ravichandran told me that he wants to ensure that every artist and technician reports to the shoot happily and goes back happily. I remember, while I was working in the multi-starrer 'Habba', made six years ago, the atmosphere on the sets was family-like and a unique camaraderie existed among all the artists."

Ambareesh, Devaraj, Shashi, Ram Kumar, Jayaprada, Urvashi and many others featured in "Habba".

"We would bring home-made food to the location every day and sit together during the lunch break and have lots of fun," he remembered.

Talking about "Ekadhantha", which has been lapped up by his fans for his fantastic performance, the actor said the film was basically an entertainer with loads of comedy and a bit of religious element added to the story.

"I was happy to do this film with my co-artists Prema and Ramesh Bhat. We were packed together in a bus for nearly 30 days and it was a lot of fun doing this film. Director Sachin is a workaholic and made our work easier.

"I am happy that I have one more film lined up with Sachin which is being launched on April 6. The film is about an honest and straightforward school master."