Chennai: The stars of the upcoming multilingual film 45 – Shiva Rajkumar, Upendra, and Raj B Shetty – along with director Arjun Janya and producer M Ramesh Reddy, gathered in Chennai to launch the Tamil teaser of their fantasy action thriller. The event highlighted the film’s unique production process and the personal connections the team shares with the city.
45, set for a worldwide release on August 15th in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi, marks the directorial debut of acclaimed music composer Arjun Janya. Speaking at the event, Janya, a self-proclaimed “fan boy” of Chennai’s musical heritage citing Ilaiyaraaja and AR Rahman as inspirations, explained his innovative approach to filmmaking.
“Before shooting, I thought we could prepare with pre-visualization,” Janya explained. “Like a storyboard, I prepared the full 2.5 hours in cartoon form, edited it, added CG, music, and DTS, and showed it [to Shivanna]. The advantage was, while shooting, we didn’t need to take even one wasted frame; everything was ready. Even editing work was minimal. I am happy that I have done this for the first time in the Indian film industry.” He also noted that despite his background, the film uniquely features no songs.
Shiva Rajkumar, fondly referred to as Shivanna, expressed his joy at being back in Chennai. “Whenever I come to Chennai, I feel happy inside. I was born, studied, and grew up here,” he shared. His journey into cinema, now spanning nearly four decades, began unexpectedly in Chennai. “When I was in Chennai, the opportunity to act came. I never thought of myself as a hero; I thought a hero should be like Kamal Haasan, like Amitabh Bachchan. They were my favourites,” he revealed. Guided by his father, the legendary Dr. Rajkumar, he eventually debuted in Kannada.
Reflecting on his long career, Shivanna acknowledged the ups and downs. “I have seen many failures, many successes. I don’t let either get to my head,” he stated, also touching upon overcoming significant personal losses and health challenges, including cancer. “I have overcome surgeries on my head, cancer… Fans across India prayed for me. I am happy to be here.” He praised Arjun Janya’s direction and the script, promising a “new experience” for audiences. Addressing recent speculation, he also confirmed his involvement in the sequel to Jailer, stating simply, “I am there.” He recalled a touching phone call from Kamal Haasan during his recovery, calling it unforgettable support.
“Real Star” Upendra, who previously directed Shiva Rajkumar in the cult classic Om, lauded director Arjun Janya’s immense effort. “When he narrated the story, I loved it so much. I encouraged him, saying he must direct it,” Upendra said. He also praised producer M Ramesh Reddy for backing the film on a grand scale and enjoyed sharing screen space again with “Darling Shivanna” and Raj B Shetty.
Producer M Ramesh Reddy emphasized the film’s scope. “This isn’t just a pan-India film; it’s an Indian film. A film everyone in India should watch,” he declared. “We have made it with a big budget, CG work, and immense effort. Shivanna, Upendra, Raj B Shetty have all acted wonderfully. The film has come out fantastically.”