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Pradeep Varma (the son of well known painter BKS Varma), a name familiar to every short film lover because of his stunning debut award winning acclaimed short 'Chakori'.

The talented director has stepped into the main stream of film making through 'Urvi' which has already created lots of expectations in Kannada Film Industry because of many reasons. The released official trailer is trending everywhere with stunning response from celebrities to common people. The trailer promises that 'Urvi' will take our Kannada Film Industry to the next level with respect to all departments.

Pradeep is gearing up for the release of 'Urvi' by first or second week of March. He has shared some interesting facts about 'Urvi' with FiLMiBEE which you must go through to get a clear picture on what 'Urvi' is all about & why you must watch 'Urvi'...

Interviewed & Written By Shraman Jain | Chief Editor : Harish Mallya

• From the short-film 'Chakori' to 'Urvi', how has the journey been ?

Actually, I had started short films just for the reason to check if I'm capable to direct a movie by experimenting on myself before doing it on my producers. Later on, it turned out to be an amazing experience for me which gave me enough confidence to step into the main stream of the film making. Started off my career with Nagabharana sir, later on worked with Jayateertha sir, Upendra sir & Imran Sardariya, grabbed some experience & finally decided to start my own film & that's how Urvi started.

• What is Urvi all about ? & Why Urvi ?

Urvi is all about a women's oppression or depression that we all are witnessing. It's completely based on the present social scenario. In the film, I've tried to comprise the major problems of women that are getting globalized & have stressed upon a fact that ultimately we forget saying woman is someone whom we're because of. Also, I've represented women as mother of entire world, throughout the film.

Urvi means 'Kaali' which further means 'Dark'. Dark is the mother of light which gave birth to light. She is the only one who can give birth to light in future too. This is what I've explained in the film in a metaphoric way.

• So, Is it going to be a hard-hitting realistic fare ?

Yes! I've made the complete film based on real incidents that I've tried to deliver poetically. Why poetically because, if I try to bring those harsh realities on screen, people won't digest it. As a result, I've given poetic touch to those harsh realities, so that people will feel it, emotionally get attached to it & simultaneously will come to know that such incidents are happening around us.

• How were your preparations for Urvi ?

Six years back, I started to work on the script. Before starting the script work, while shooting for a film in Kolkata, me & my team had simply gone around Sonagachi (Kolkata) to witness the lifestyle of women living there. In that particular place, within 500 meters, there were around 32,000 women who were into prostitution, not because of their choice. Actually, It's the second biggest brothel in Asia apart from Thailand. In Sonagachi, there are women of age around 4 to 28, just to get exploited. The young girls living there don't have any idea about the outer world & believes the same things are happening there too. If any girl/woman living there fall sick, no one will bother about it & finally that girl/woman will end up with death. Even after the death, still no one will bother since they don't know the value of life when it comes to money. Similarly, there are lot many things happening in & around Sonagachi which have literally hurted me. After witnessing all these & talking to women there, a question arised within me, why we are outcasting the women living there? Why can't they be our sisters, advisors or someone who we really look upon to?

All these factors ignited a spark within me & made me to work upon the same story, had researched many things by visiting similar places, interacted with people living there & grabbed collective informations which is necessary for the script.

• What're the strongest factors of Urvi ?

'Women Can Stand Up', 'A Girl Is By Birth A Mother' & 'Stand Back & People Will Surely Fall Back' are the strongest factors of the film which I've tried to present infront of the audience in my own way by giving fine finishing.

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• How did Sruthi, Shraddha & Shwetha Pandit's name come to you mind & Were they the natural first choice?

While preparing the script, I had no idea about Sruthi, Shraddha & Shwetha. After preparing the script, had done lot of auditions, filtered many actresses & finally I met Shraddha while she was shooting for U-Turn. She did very hard work for the workshops. She has performed great in the film. Nothing much to say about Sruthi's performance because she is born actress. Talking about Shwetha Pandit, she has done a tremendous job in the film. She is definitely a brilliant actress. I liked the way she prepared & dedicated herself to the role. She has given complete justice to her role.

Instead of saying me & my team prepared them, the script literally had prepared them. After witnessing the preparations they made, we felt, there is no one better than these people. As we had expected, all three have done stupendous job.

• Currently, Sruthi & Shraddha are the most happening & talented actors of Sandalwood. According to you, what makes them special ?

Sruthi Hariharan is someone who's self made. From being back drop dancer, today she is one of the top most actress of Sandalwood, definitely because of her performance & dedication. She doesn't compromise herself when it comes to acting. The way she looks into the character, the way she enters into the character & the way she gets out of the character as early as possible is just fabulous. She does all these with lot of ease. 

Undoubtedly, the same goes for Shraddha too. After U-Turn, Urvi is her second project. But, after watching her performance in the film, no one can say that it's her second film. She has performed naturally with lot of ease. Even the dialogues she delivers is so natural that you won't feel it's prefixed. That shows the amount of preparations they both have made before the commencement of shoot.

• The film has both experienced & debutant actors. How did you balance ?

I've selected most of the actors who have theatre back drop. Probably camera may be new for them, but not acting. Experienced actors were giving lot of helpful suggestions to the debutants & which have helped them to perform well. If you watch the film, you'll find it difficult to differentiate between the debutants & experienced actors.

• The teaser, trailer & audio is grabbing audience attention with positive talks. So, is there pressure ?

Of course Yes! It has increased my responsibilities 1000 times more. If people say that the particular product is good, obviously the next product must be the best, is what running in my mind right now. So, we've taken atmost care & it has became double responsibility for us to deliver the next product. Between, we haven't compromised anywhere regarding the quality for which I've to thank my producers for co-operating beautifully.

• As a director, why would you ask people to come & watch Urvi ?

Sometimes the world looks like as though they are all scavengers tied up with a chain by so called Religion, Beliefs & Upbringing (which makes them Human). Once that chain is unleashed, no marks will be available to prove that humans existed. Having said that, In each & every home, at least a single woman/girl will be existing & what problems they face in current scenario have been shown effectively in Urvi. Today, parents who have young girl child will fear to send her to school for various reasons, If a girl doesn't arrive home even after late night, the parents start shivering with all negative thoughts. Like these there are lot many, just because of the amount of fear/pain that the people have created in one's mind set, will obviously make us scare.

We've provided effective answers for all those kind of people, in the film. So, everyone must come & watch Urvi.