18 years of Jogi: Director Prem recalls Shiva Rajkumar’s spellbinding performance as Madesha

It redefined the meaning of mass and class entertainment with a motherly sentiment that came attached to it.

In an exclusive interview with South First, Jogi director Prem talks about his directorial venture, Shivanna, and his cameo role in the recently-released Jailer.

Broke records

A poster of the film ‘Jogi’. (Supplied)

Jogi hit the screens on 19 August 2005 and broke multiple box-office records.

While running houseful for 25 days in a single theatre is considered a huge achievement these days, Jogi ran for 100-plus days in nearly 60 theatres — a record that only a few films could surpass in Sandalwood in these 18 years.

It was the highest-grossing Kannada movie in 2005 and many easily bet that it would have made several hundred crores of rupees as its lifetime earning when adjusted to current inflation.

While Prem made a sequel titled Jogayya (2011), the film was remade in Tamil as Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram (2005) starring Dhanush and Meera Jasmine.

The Telugu version, Yogi (2007), starred Prabhas and Nayanthara.

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Birth of Jogi

Jogi director Prem with Dr Shiva Rajkumar. His upcoming pan-India film ‘KD’ is in the making. (Supplied)

“I made Jogi exactly a decade after Upendra made Om (1995), which is another big milestone in the Kannada film industry. The beginning of Jogi is quite interesting by itself,” Prem said.

He recalled, “Smt Parvathamma Rajkumar once asked me to do a film for their banner. One day, Shivanna called me and asked me to work on a project for Akash Audio production.”

However, the director eventually made Jogi under the Ashwini Productions banner as it supported him big time during his past ventures, including Kariya (2003).

Ashwini Audio bought the audio rights of Kariya for a whopping ₹10 lakh back in those days.

As far as the birth of Jogi is concerned, the idea or one-line story for the film struck Prem’s mind when he was travelling from Sadashivanagar — where Shivanna resided in those days — to his office in Vijayanagar.

“I shared the idea with my colleagues and headed to Murudeshwara to develop it further. I sat on the beach of Murudeshwara and completed the script. Half the film is based on the emotional bond I shared with my mother Bhagyamma Gowda,” the Kannada filmmaker recollected.

He further added that the experience of casting real rowdies for his film Kariya led him to give a real touch to the rowdy-based but emotionally high film that appealed to every section of the audience.

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Mother-son sentiment

Shivanna played Madesha and senior theatre personality Arundhati Nag did the role of his mother. It struck a chord with the Kannada audience.

“The film is special to me for the reason that it made many children reunite with their mothers. I received so many messages and calls after Jogi was released, thanking me since it made their children return to their families to be back with their mothers. Such was its influence,” Prem noted.

He feels blessed to have directed both Appaji (Dr Rajkumar) and Amma (Smt Pravathamma Rajkumar) together in the introduction scenes in Jogi.

Unmatchable

Shivanna in a cameo role in ‘Jailer’. (Supplied)

Regarding Shivanna’s cameo role, Prem remarked that the actor’s eyes do wonders by mesmerising everyone.

“For an actor, expressing it through one’s eye is most crucial and Shivanna has the best. He leaves everyone spellbound. I am happy to see him perform so majestically in Jailer.”

The director further added, “In the past, there were concerns over Kannada actors acting in other languages. But now, it is thankfully seen as Indian cinema and not limited to any one film industry. I feel proud to witness Shivanna continue his magical performance in another language, too!”

Related: ‘Jailer’ director Nelson all praise for Mohanlal and Shiva Rajkumar