I read about this English movie called Boyhood which was 12 years in making.
But there is a Kannada movie which was 38 years in making. Surprised!?
Yes!This is about the movie Saavira Mettilu - Thousand steps .
The film was started in 1968. It was released around 2006.
This film was supposed to be one of Puttanna Kanagal's early movies.The original starcast included Jayanthi,Kalyan Kumar, Ashwath,Pandari Bai,Vajramuni etc.
But due to reasons unknown,the film got stalled.This movie was supposed to be the debut of the much celebrated villian Vajramuni.But since this movie was stopped, Vajramuni's debut was Mallammana Pavaada which was again directed by Puttanna.
Vajramuni's debut in Savira Mettilu
This unfinished movie was taken up by the producer D B Basave Gowda. He was very keen to revive this movie.He collaborated with Ravi(K S L Swami) who was also a pupil of Puttanna to finish this film.
But time had passed.Some of the actors had aged while some others had passed away.Yet the producer and the director did not loose the zeal. As many as 17 actors or more - Anu Prabhakar, Ambareesh , Shivaram ,B V Radha , Padma Vasanti,Master Hirannayya,Ramakrishna, Sunderraj,Lakshmidevi, Hema Chaudhary, Jaya, Girija Lokesh, Ashalatha, Mukyamantri Chandru, Doddanna, Govinda Rao were added as part of the new cast.All of them agreed to work without payment as a tribute to the master Puttanna.
A guest appearance by Ambareesh
One very very rare thing about this movie is that the heroine has lived her age on screen.We have observed in many movies ,the actors grey their hair or put on make up to appear old.But in this movie, actress Jayanthi has appeared as both 20 year old lass as well as a 60 year old woman in real.
Young Jayanthi
Older Jayanthi
Not just Jayanthi, Ashwath who played her father in the movie too reprised his role after so many years.
The middle aged Ashwath
The old Ashwath
The film is no way a great movie by it's storyline . It has its share of flaws and faults. But the idea to pay homage to such a great director is indeed appreciable.