What does it mean to be a true hero? Amoghavarsha asks in Gandhada Gudi

Gandhada Gudi opened to a rapturous reception on October 28, 2022 and continues to witness packed halls as people throng to theatres, even on weekday mornings, to catch their beloved Appu on the big screen, one last time.

The untimely demise of Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar, fondly known as Appu by legions of his fans, on October 29, 2021 sent waves of shock and grief not just across Karnataka but also among his fans and friends in other states as well. A year later, his swansong Gandhada Gudi, has come as a cathartic experience to all who loved him.

Gandhada Gudi, a wildlife docu-drama directed by national award-winning filmmaker and wildlife photographer, Amoghavarsha J S, captures him and Puneeth traversing across Karnataka, taking in the state’s abundant wealth of flora and fauna. From the thrill of sighting wildlife in reserve forests and deep-diving into the breathtaking waters of Netrani Island to visiting Dr. Rajkumar’s ancestral home and understanding the nature-culture relationship through interactions with the local communities, Gandhada Gudi sees the duo exploring an unknown side of Karnataka.

This emotional ride also looks inwards, as Amoghavarsha delves into who a hero is and recasts Appu in a new light — as a friend, role model and universal human (vishwa maanava). Even as the director laces his stunning visuals with ideas of conservation and coexistence, Puneeth’s humour — witty, lighthearted and self-deprecating — cuts through the social messaging, making it more accessible and intimate.

In a chat with The Hindu, director Amoghavarsha opens up about the making of Gandhada Gudi(GG) and the journey of adventure, learning and self-exploration through Karnataka’s wilderness.

With Gandhada Gudi, you have attempted to redefine Puneeth as ‘a true hero’ going beyond his on-screen persona. Was that idea part of your initial vision?

Initially, we just set out to explore Karnataka. As we began, I realized Puneeth was on a clearly-defined quest — to witness nature and wildlife. I, however, wanted to understand what it means to be a hero, to get so much love and affection from the people. That was my quest.  

You have called this an experimental docu-drama, of two friends on a wildlife adventure. Were you worried about how your dynamic with an actor would play out on-screen? 

It was very organic. There is definitely a story arc but it is important to be observant without predefined ideas, which we as filmmakers tend to carry into the field. Magic is only possible when you allow for that serendipity. Especially with the factual domain, the more scope you give to what is happening, the more truthful and connected a story feels.

Puneeth’s swansong feels like a tribute to him and to Dr. Rajkumar too. Was it a conscious choice after his passing?

The film has many layers and a lot of subtext. Wildlife exploration is just the top layer that people see, but from Day Zero, the intention of paying tribute through Gandhada Gudi (2022)was important to me. Karnataka has the most number of tigers and elephants in the world and our previous generations have worked hard to protect them. That a mainstream film on conservation like Gandhada Gudi (1973) was made 50 years ago in Kannada is a reason for celebration.

However, the more I travelled with Appu, the more I realised he was a person deserving of an independent tribute. In a world where people ape stars, I saw a hero who was down to earth and shorn of all artifice while filming. I wanted to pay homage to that.

Were there any specific films that inspired the docu-drama format?

We worked with a couple of story consultants from Hollywood — people who produced Masterclass, the Billie Eilish documentary The World’s a Little Blurry, and also work with NatGeo and Netflix. As we understand, there has never been a format like this. It was also conceptualised for an audience which is used to song-and-dance, instead of the dry interview-laden format used in most factual films. The docu-drama format is also special because it shows an Eastern perspective of conservation, which is ‘man with wild’. Indian culture isn’t anthropocentric, where humankind is on top of the pyramid. I’ve not come across a format like this.  

Unlike other wildlife documentaries, GG has a strong emotional core. Were you worried emotions could overshadow the wildlife aspect of the film?

Quite the opposite, actually. When there are no emotions, we can’t connect to other humans, let alone wildlife . The emotional journey gives audience more context to understand animals.

Connecting the dancing frog to Appu’s life got a lot of people excited. In one of my visits to a single-screen theatre, people cheered when Appu makes an appeal to use less plastic and says, ‘Let’s all become heroes’. I have never seen people scream and cheer for a social message before.

With Appu’s ‘vishwa manava’, have you found an answer to what makes a hero? 

Appu’s ‘vishwa manava’ is about being accessible and we can all aspire to be that way. Appu was celebrated not only because he danced and fought well on-screen but also for the human being that he was. This format of a hero is something his father was also known for. Appu transcends that to say all of us can be a ‘universal human’. 

Alongside Puneeth, GG also portrays forest guards as parallel heroes. Is that a sub-theme you wanted to explore?

That has been one of the primary causes for me in my last few films. Coexistence and culture are a big part of wildlife conservation but a significant amount of protection also goes into it and these guards have a thankless job. I wanted to celebrate them.   

As expected, the audience’s reaction has been very emotional. How are you feeling post-release, as a director and a friend?

You have to sit through the edit a million times, and that is hard. At some point, you park the grief aside because you don’t want your emotions to cloud the film. It was a big responsibility for me to do justice to the film and to the sentiments of his fans. I wanted them to see the happy, joyous Appu you see in the film, which is my memory of him. People tell me GG helped them deal with their grief and they can now smile when they see him on screen. That has been the most humbling and overwhelming takeaway for me.

As a friend, I miss him even more now. If he was around to see the adulation people are showering on GG, he would have been over the moon because it was his passion project. This proves there is a possibility for honest and universal cinema. I really wish he was here to see all this.