Writer Janardhana Maharshi, who worked for 18 years in 90 movies, has saved every penny to become a producer. He is also directing the movie on Sarvejana Sukhinobhavanthu banner with his favourite cast — K Vishwanath and S. P. Balasubramanyam. He had earlier written a series, Gudi, for Swati magazine and kept developing the visual narration in his mind to get a perfect finish. Finally, the film is set to release.
But what made him turn producer? He says, “It was my ambition to make a good film on the lines of S hankarabharanam; the story was ready and I had taken time to implement it. I had apprehensions about making compromises as per the whims and fancies of a producer and it would mean going back to square one being a regular writer. Even in my magazine series, the main character had Vishwanath as the name.”
The debut director says he wasn't being preachy and just made a good movie to satisfy himself. “It is not the story in the magazine or the visual narration but the process of working with the duo that gratified me tremendously. The reason for the title Devasthanam is to explain that God doesn't dwell in the temple alone; he resides in every pure heart. The second point is to change and evolve the extinct art forms like Tholubommalata, Harikatha and Burrakatha without killing their essence but keeping them in tune with times, the ultimate goal being giving happiness,” he says.
He has clubbed these two factors through two different characters. He adds, “For Vishwanath, the temple is his home; he love the country and believes in helping humanity. S.P.B on the other hand thinks charity begins at home. If one has a few apples, he should eat, keep some for the next few days and if it is in excess, distribute. Contrary to his thinking, K.V. feels an apple should be cut into six halves and distributed to satiate hunger. Both the characters learn a few things from each other but ultimately S.P.B wholeheartedly agrees with the former's theory.”
There are interesting arguments in the movie which are philosophical in nature which show that society is demarcated on the lines of these two characters. The director says there is a scene where a character says we need not be a Mother Teresa or a Gandhi ji; birth and death is common but in this lifetime, one should make a difference in the world through seva or through propitiating art. God dwells in such hearts. He signs off, “People keep saying there is no good cinema these days. So I made one.”
