Operation Alamelamma: A candid talk with Suni, Shraddha Srinath and Manish Rishi

Director Suni is back with his latest outing Operation Alamelamma. The movie stars newcomer Manish Rishi and Shraddha Srinath of U Turn fame in the lead roles. In a candid talk with International Business Times, the team spoke elaborately on their upcoming Kannada movie. Find the excerpts from the interview below:

IBT: Please give a brief introduction about your entry to the films.
Manish Rishi: The acting bug bit me during my engineering days. I decided to give it a try once and got myself involved with theatre. Although I worked in limited plays, I learnt a lot from it and made my small-screen debut in Anuroopa. Once I started working in the serial I met a few directors and Suni was one among them. Initially, we were discussing a different project, but it did not materialise. Later, Suni came up with the script of Operation Alamelamma and we all liked it. 

IBT: You are a senior to him in films. How was the experience?
Shraddha Srinath: Although I am senior to him by two films, Rishi has been working in theatre for some years before he made his debut in a serial So experience wise we both are equal. When it comes to the performance, we both have given our best shots and there is nothing like one of us is better than the other. 

IBT: What is the film all about?
Suni: The standard template for this kind of movies is that people kidnap and demand ransom after finding their targets. What follows next is either the cops will enter the drama to nab the culprits or the baddies will just walk away safely without facing any consequence.To some extent, our story appears to be the same but the twist is when the hero comes across a bag.

IBT: Tell us about your first experience in the film industry.
Manish Rishi: So far it has been very good. I think it is a very good launchpad. Feedbacks that we have been getting are very positive. The film has come out well and I am happy because a lot of people are eagerly awaiting the release. I could not have asked for more.

IBT: How different is this film from your previous movies?
Suni: My Simple Agi Ondh Love Story and Simple Aginnond Love Story were of the same genre. Bahuparaak was a different film. But the genre of Operation Alamelamma is something that I never tried before. So, I felt like directing this film for the first time. 

IBT: Tells us about your roles in the film.
Shraddha: I play the role of a teacher named Ananya. A middle-class girl who is burdened with all the responsibilities, but inside she is a free bird. It is those contradictions that make what she is.

Manish Rishi: I will be seen as Purmy, a street-smart boy who is crazy about branded items. There is innocence in his character. He comes across a bag one day and his fondness towards costly items land him in trouble. 

IBT: Dialogues have been the strength of your movies. From where do you get inspiration to pen such catchy one-liners?
Suni: I take inspiration from the things happening around me. I pay close attention to the common man's language in public places like cricket grounds or at pani puri stalls. I register anything good in my mind and will use it when needed.

IBT: How did you prepare for this role?
Manish Rishi: Honestly, I did not spend too much time on preparing for the role. But I took time out to acquaint with vegetable auctioning. Having observed the sellers in the market and trains, I decided to enact the role in my own way.

IBT: How demanding is Suni as a director?
Manish Rishi: He is very flexible and one of the easiest directors to work with. I came on board with my own interpretations of Purmy and he had his own. But he never tried to change my views and gave me complete freedom to perform in my own style. Even if he wanted some changes, he would politely ask me and not forcefully impose anything upon us. So, we had a great chemistry.

Shraddha Srinath: In the first encounter itself, I realised he is a soft-spoken person. Suni is extremely kind by nature and respects everyone. I have high regards for him for these qualities. He is a very easy-going director who knows his characters well and realises that artistes too have their understanding of their roles. Hence, he gives complete freedom to his actors.

IBT: How was it working with Rishi and Shraddha Srinath?
Suni: There will always be some fear when working with newcomers. I had a similar feeling initially with Rishi, but the moment we started working I realised that he is a tailormade actor for me. When it comes to Shraddha, I liked her after watching U Turn. It was a wonderful experience working with her.

IBT: Why did you take this project? Is it because Suni is in the helm or you liked the script?
Shraddha Srinath: A part of me decided to work in Operation Alamelamma because this is Suni's film. I was impressed by the script, which, according to me, was different. The film has comedy elements laced with a romantic story. My character is a fun loving and a quirky girl and it is just another reason why I liked this project. I would say the combination of many factors made me take up the project.

IBT: Are you planning a sequel to Operation Alamelamma already?
Suni: A one-line story has already struck my mind and I think it will be a better film than the first part. But it's future depends on the kind of response we receive for this film.

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