Ramenahalli Jagannatha On Making A Relatable Campus Comedy In Hondisi Bareyiri

Ramenahalli Jagannatha, who is making his directorial debut with the campus comedy Hondisi Bareyiri, quit his job as a professor to make films. Set in an engineering college, the film explores the loves and lives of five friends. Although most college films stem from directors’ personal memories, what adds a fresh perspective to Hondisi Bareyiri is Ramenahalli’s experience as a professor. “The people I have seen and the conversation with fellow teachers and students have all formed the story of the film. I believe that there are two kinds of films: one which represents reality and the other which creates reality. This film belongs to the first category.”

The characters of his film emulate the people the director has seen and a few others echo his own thoughts and perspectives. “A character named Ranjith (played by Naveen Kumar) is someone who is tired of his life and has this constant thought of “Why me?” He would rather teach small children than deal with college students. That is a thought I have had too. So some dialogue or ideas of the character also reflect the thoughts I have had and the characters I have observed.”

Even though college-centred films have templated themes like that of mischief, relationships and heartbreaks, the filmmaker asserts that such factors did not create any pressure. “My idea was to portray all of these moments in a subtle manner. We have treated the scenes and the story in a natural way.”

In his first directorial, Ramenahalli dons multiple hats as a writer, lyricist and producer. Having given his everything to make the film, the filmmaker adds that he quit his job because he loves making films. “Hondisi Bareyiri is a film that I made with a lot of love, interest and care. In turn, I have learned a lot. Despite the hurdles we faced, I always had a conviction that the film would get made. When the film reaches the audience in the right way, you get a sense of achievement and fulfilment,” he concludes.