'Su from So' worked with audiences without emulating what 'Kantara' did: Raj B Shetty on making 'authentic' crowd-pleasing entertainers

 

After its successful run in Karnataka, the Kannada-language horror comedy Su from So is doing wonders on Kerala screens, with praise also going to the quality of the Malayalam dubbing, a rare exception for non-Malayalam films released in the state. Written and directed by JP Thuminad in his directorial debut, the film, which came out in Kerala on August 1, was distributed by Dulquer Salmaan's Wayfarer Films.

Actor and filmmaker Raj B Shetty, who produced Su from So under his home banner Lighter Buddha Films, talked about the appeal of films like Su from So, despite not boasting the same scale as that of Kantara or KGF.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Raj B Shetty said people yearn for experiences that pull them to theatres, and that films like Kantara and Su from So weren't made with the expectation of pulling off a blockbuster. "Kantara was an event film, the kind that pulls people to theatres, but nobody knew it when we were making it. Rishab didn't know it. He called me before they were about to release the Hindi version, and he didn't know whether it would work (with non-Kannada audiences). He was telling a story, and the event was part of the story. And then everybody wanted to recreate it. Everybody thought only films like that would work."

Raj, who makes a guest appearance in the film, added that they didn't try to recreate the same with Su from So. "Fortunately, Su from So breaks from it. But it is a theatre experience. People watch it as a community and laugh. They are craving an authentic and original experience. So it's not really about making an event with great action. Su from So doesn't have that kind of action. It is very limited in that regard. But the emotion we tried to create in that action is something that has reached people. They want to cheer for the underdog."

Thuminad, who also plays the protagonist of Su from So (short for 'Sulochana from Someshwara '), has starred in films like Saptha Sagaradaache Ello: Side B and Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana.

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