If there ever is an enigma in the Kannada film industry, it is Darshan. He may be the son of one of the most successful baddies, ‘Thoogudeepa’ Srinivas but opportunities were not offered on a platter. He had to crawl up the slippery slope of success, from selling milk to working as B.C. Gowrishanker’s assistant before getting roles in soaps and graduating to the big screen playing son, friend and brother. ‘Majestic’ which released in 2002 changed all that. It was his first appearance as a full-fledged protagonist and the film was a runaway success heralding the arrival of a new star. There has been no looking back since. He does not risk backbreaking stunts nor does he make pretence of honing his dancing skills. There is also no effort to try diverse characters save ‘Nanna Preethiya Ramu’. He knows what his fans like and caters to them in tailor-made themes of romance and revenge. Some thought the accusations of domestic violence and the brief incarceration would dent his popularity but his next release, ‘Sarathy’ is arguably his biggest hit. “The kind of crowds he draws in the first four days especially in the B and C centres is unmatched in Kannada cinema,” says a trade pundit. There is no clear superstar in Kannada cinema and so along with Puneet and Sudeep it is a game of musical Fridays with Yash snapping at their heels. In fact today, for me, if you take investment and returns as the criterion then Rakshit Shetty is the superstar, post ‘Kirik Party’. “Hebbuli’ is a big hit but the budget minimises the returns. Well, Puneet’s ‘Rajakumara’ and Darshan’s ‘Chakravarthy’, due for release could change all that.
The film industry can not only make or break you professionally but also mould your personality for better or worse.
Darshan withdrew into a shell protected by a coterie he trusted. Some call him arrogant but his friends say he will do anything once he likes and trusts you. There is no ambivalence in his social demeanour. He makes no effort to hide the fact that he is not on pleasant terms with the Rajkumar family. “I will not invite them for any personal or professional event,” he told a friend. There are a couple of directors he detests and has sworn never to work with them however successful they are. He will remain faithful to a few like Anaji Nagraj who stood by him but will make no bones about his dislike for many who probably treated him shoddily during his days of struggle. His friends are so loyal that they supported him publicly when his visibly battered wife went to the cops. “We are with you, Anna,” tweeted a couple of upcoming actors. “All his love seems to be reserved for the animals and birds in his private zoo off Mysore,” says a friend. “He either likes you or doesn’t ,” says another. Most of his pals are fledgling sons of yesteryear baddies of who Srujan Lokesh is the most famous today, thanks to television.
There is always an uneasy equation in star friendships. It is like treading on thin ice. After a spat with Shivaraj Kumar during a friendly cricket match that turned ugly, Sudeep seemed to have grown close to Darshan. The two shared bonhomie but they are too alike, temperamentally for it to have lasted just like Ramya and Rakshita who at least made no bones of mutual dislike. Darshan chose Twitter to end his fragile friendship with Sudeep recently, abruptly. The trigger seems to have been a TV interview where Sudeep claims that he refused and recommended Darshan for ‘Majestic’. He praises Darshan in the rest of the interview but this off the cuff remark seems to have struck a discordant note with Darshan. He wants Sudeep to clarify the motive behind the statement. “Why is he claiming credit for what he has not done?” asks Darshan again via Twitter. Why use a public platform to sort out a personal spat? Well, we live in a world where we converse through Twitter and Facebook even though the person is just a phone call away. Are we really bothered about how Darshan landed ‘Majestic’ or if he remains friends with Sudeep? Why can’t you keep the personal from the public and let your profession speak for you? All such unsavoury episodes achieve is ignite a war of words amongst respective fans and feed TV channels who gleefully pour petrol over it, fanning wild speculations to last till the next headline grabber.
sshivu@yahoo.com
Published - March 09, 2017 03:46 pm IST
