Though the name Bungle Shama Rao Dwarakanath, might not ring a bell to many, the name Dwarakish will have Kannada film aficionados nodding and smiling in recognition. Dwarakish, who passed away on April 16, 2024, at the age of 81 was not just an actor, but a director, producer and a comedian too with a career spanning over five decades in Kannada cinema.
With a smile that lit up the screen, Dwarakish was serious about cinema entertaining people with the stories and characters he created. The actor started his innings in cinema with a cameo in his uncle, Hunasur Krishnamoorty’s film, Veera Sankalpa in 1964 and has acted in many Kannada films since. He had a knack of making fun of himself on screen with digs about his height in films such as Kittu Puttu, Singaporinalli Raja Kulla, and Kalla Kulla.
A still from the movie Pedda Gedda with Manjula | Photo Credit: BS Basavaraj
He often worked in tandem with the late comedians Balakrishna and Narasimharaju. The trio would keep us in splits with their antics in films such as Guru Shishyaru. If he tickled your funny bones with his comedy, we have also seen him as the unconventionally stylish hero, wooing a Chinese girl in Singaporinalli Raja Kulla.
When not acting, Dwarakish was busy producing hit films including Mayor Muttanna, Bhagyavantaru, Nyaya Ellide, Manku Thimma or Nee Barada Kadambari. Some of his top films have featured the late Dr Vishnuvardhan and Dr Rajkumar in the lead.
A man with a Midas touch, the films Dwarakish produced, whether original stories or remakes like Aaptamitra (remake of the Malayalam film Manichitrathazhu), Nee Barada Kadambari ( a remake of Pyaar Jhukta Nahi) or Indina Ramayana (remake of the Tamil film Oorukku Upadesam) they were all commercially successful.
Dwarakish had highs and lows professionally. He faced heavy financial losses with films such as Africadalli Sheela. Dwarakish took time off from making films to bounce back. He was not deterred from making or acting in films, irrespective of the results they yielded.
Dilip Kumar when he visited the sets of Guru Shishyaru | Photo Credit: BS Basavaraj
Veteran cinematographer BS Basavaraj, winner of the Nandi Lifetime Achievement Award, mentored by the legendary VK Murthy and National Award-winning director, KM Chaitanya who worked with Dwarakish for more than a decade, share their work experiences with the legendary actor.
Filming in Singapore
Basavaraj met Dwarakish in 1972 during the making of Doorada Betta. “I have been associated with him ever since. Immediately after this film, he started working on Singaporinalli Raja Kulla. The majority of the film was shot in Singapore. It was one of the first Kannada films to be shot entirely abroad.”
Dwarakish, Basavaraj says was so generous and thoughtful, he flew the entire crew. “He booked us into hotels close to places where we would get south Indian food. He was mindful of everything and everyone.”
Showman status
Known for his grit and determination, Basavaraj says Dwarakish was a showman and had a clean, neat way of making films. “He was also clear about how many days he would need to complete a film. A man of his word, Dwarakish always worked with deadlines and goals. He was dynamic and if he was unhappy with a scene he would candidly suggest to the director how he wanted the scene to be shot.”
For Singaporinalli Raja Kulla, Basavaraj says Dwarakish cast a Chinese actor, Felina, opposite him. “He hired a helicopter and a stunt director and wanted a fight scene on the roof of a 40-floor building. Before the shoot, he would make sure that every stuntman, cameraman and actor was safe and only then he would dive into the shoot.”
A still from Singaporinalli Raja Kulla with Felina | Photo Credit: BS Basavaraj
Basavaraj says Dwarakish would put up massive sets for his films and say the story demanded it. “His sets were always the talk of the town so much that even Dilip Kumar visited Dwarakish on the sets of Guru Shishyaru.
Dwarakish was a great thinker, Basavaraj says. “He could convince anyone. He could sell what ever film he made with ease and had great business acumen. He has worked with Rajinikanth. For remakes, he would adapt the story to Karnataka nativity without losing the core concept. When you watched the film would never feel it was a remake. The best example for this is Bhagyavantaru, which was a remake of the Tamil movie Dheerga Sumangali. “
Democratic function
While he pampered his lead actors, Basavaraj says Dwarakish did not let anyone talk down to a technician. “If anyone complained and ask for a technician to be changed, Dwarakish would replace the person who had a problem on the set and not the technician.”
Generous, Basavaraj says Dwarakish was not jealous of his peers or those who were better than him on screen. “He was a wonderful human being, who would always look for a means to collaborate with every actor. He was always willing to lend money to anyone in need, irrespective of what his situation was. “
Going the extra mile
He cared a lot about cinema too and would go to any length to sacrifice himself and his finances as long as the film got made, Basavaraj says. “Dwarakish remade Ankush in Kannada. He looked for a non-commercial director and specifically asked Nagabharana to direct the film. Ravana Rajya launched the famous Telugu actor Naseer.”
Though Nagabharana did not believe in remakes, and Ravana Rajya is the only film he directed as a remake, Basavaraj says it was Dwarakish’s convincing powers that made it happen. “Dwarakish also introduced Devaraj as the antagonist in this film. Despite being a remake, it went on to be a huge success.”
A still from the film Adhrushtavanta | Photo Credit: BS Basavaraj
Basavaraj says Dwarakish was also bold to take on films that no one would dare to make. “The bilingual Ananda Bhairavi’ is a good example. It was a dance film with a lot of classical songs and Dwarakish cast Girish Karnad to play the lead in it.”
If he put his mind to it, Basavaraj says, Dwarakish would do everything to accomplish it. “A man of taste and style. There will never be another like him. I lost not just a colleague but a dear friend.”
Focus on one
KM Chaitanya met Dwarakish for the first time when he came for the muhurat of Sumana Kittur’s Edegarike. “He told me he had watched Aa Dinagalu and liked my films but asked me why I was experimenting with so many genres instead of focusing on one. I told him I got bored repeating genres and liked to experiment.”
With Meghana Raj, Chiranjeevi Sarja and KM Chaitanya | Photo Credit: KM Chaitnaya
Before they met, Chaitanya says he had heard of Dwarakish, seen his work and knew him to be an ambitious man. “When I wrote Aatagara with Kannan and we were looking for a producer, Kannan connected with Dwarakish’s son, Yogish. Till then Dwarakish Chitra (his banner) was known to make commercial cinema and we did not think they would be interested in an experimental film like Aatagara, which was planned as a low-budget film with 10 new comers.”
Question of reach
Yogish returned the next day saying they liked the script and were willing to invest three to four crores on the film. “They wanted us to bring established actors on board. It was because of Dwarakish that Aatagara became a multi-starrer film. Dwarakish told me to make the film in a commercial manner so that it reaches more people and they also enjoy watching it.”
Aatagara went on to become a huge hit for Dwarakish Chitra and Chaitanya. “I went on to direct Aake and Amma I Love You with Dwarakish Chitra. I must be one of the last directors to have worked with Dwarakish’s production house.”
Always patient
Though intimidated, Chaitanya constantly bombarded Dwarakish with questions. “He never got irritated and answered every query with a smile. He was proud of his successes and flops. Most producers regret their flops. But not Dwarakish. ‘He would say: ‘Africadalli Sheela was made on a grand scale. The film did not do well, but was one of the largest-budgeted films of its time’.”
Dwarakish was proud of how everything was larger than life for him, says Chaitanya. He was open to new ideas and moved with the times. He was one of the few producers who appreciated new directors and their expermentations on screen. He believed cinema should be made as a product that could be sold successfully. The commercial angle was important to him though he was not worried about the originality of a film. He was open to remakes or Hollywood inspiration.” Dwarakish, Chaitanya says was a true entertainer.
