Yogaraj Bhat- Ganesh combination- Gaalipata 2- will hit the big screen this week

Yogaraj and I were shooting for our film Mugulu Nage, which was based on a serious topic. While on it, we decided that our next collaboration should be one that was fun and entertaining. That is when he suggested we make Gaalipata 2 as it would be a mixture of everything. It was there that we planted the seed for this project that would be a mix of friendship, love, and emotion.

You have an old passenger, Diganth, and a new one, Pawan Kumar, on this journey... I have known Pawan for many years. When we discussed the subject first in Yogaraj's office, we thought it would be great if we could get Doodh (Diganth) on board. Yogaraj suggested that casting Pawan would be different. This worked out. While the first Gaalipata was about a different trio, in this one, we retained my character, Gani, and his parents. The father is the same Mandya MLA. In Gaalipata, I was a foodie, so in this film too, you will see me healthy and chubby. I put on around 8kgs for the same. However, in the second half, I reduced around 5kgs and you see a transition.

The film's trailer also shows that this has a story of a set of friends and their teacher...

When we are studying, we always ended up being closer to some teachers. We sometimes get the urge to check on them after passing out of college too. Anant Nag sir played one such lecturer who is very close to us. This arc is pivotal to the script.

Do you worry about the expectations of your films?

I feel the filmmakers have more pressure than me. They are the creators, so the pressure to get it right is with them. But this pressure is then passed on to me like a baton when I have to perform. I then have the pressure of improvising, giving something new, and looking different. It should still look convincing. I always maintain that it is not acting, but behaving. Romance on the screen should look good.

Speaking of romance, you seem to have a lover boy tag...

People have given me the romantic lover boy tag. People like Yogaraj Bhat, his writers and the scripts are the reason. I am not that romantic. I am more practical. But I am glad I am able to convince people about things that I am not. I usually enjoy Bhatru's writing style which is out-of-the-box. We sit together where he explains what he has conceptualised and then I carry it out in my style.

Be it Yogaraj Bhat, Preetham Gubbi or Suni, you seem to collaborate with certain filmmakers more often.

These are people who discuss what we can create together. They always bring something new to their script. I have the comfort factor to discuss what is good and what isn't.