Director Dayal turns producer with 'Circus'

Bangalore, Aug 27 (IANS) Kannada director Dayal Padmanabhan of "Baa Baro Rasika" fame has turned producer with "Circus" and says the film will fulfil his dream of making a movie using a train.

"It was my dream to make a film using a train and 'Circus' will fulfil it. And I'm happy that I have scripted the film," Dayal told IANS.

"The project will cost me around Rs.50 million. I have taken a loan from IDBI Bank to make it," added Dayal, who was the executive producer of the movie "Galipatta".

"Circus" was recently launched under Dayal's newly formed banner D Pictures and shooting is in progress in Bangalore. The major portions of "Circus" will be shot in a train. Dayal has taken required permission to use a separate train for the film.

"We are shooting the film on Bangalore-Mysore, Sakleshpur-Subramanya railway tracks and K.R. Nagar Railway Station in Mysore," he said.

Apart from shooting on real locations, Dayal will erect a railway station at Rockline Studios, which is 12 kilometres away from Bangalore.

"There are six songs in the film. I'll shoot a song and a few sequences in a circus. I plan to film two songs abroad," informed director-turned-producer.

He has roped in Kannada film industry's top star Ganesh to play male lead and Mumbai based actress Archana Gupta as his love interest.

However, Dayal refused to reveal details about the story which has undergone many changes since he had conceived it five years ago.

The film's hero Ganesh says that he heard the story of "Circus" while he was travelling with Dayal to a shoot for "Galipatta" in Sakleshpur.

"I was travelling with Dayal in a car and it took us nearly 60 minutes to reach the shooting spot. On the way Dayal gave me a detailed account of the story and also narrated a few sequences of the film which was to be shot in Sakleshpur. We were crossing those ghats of Sakleshpur and he gave a visual description of those sequences. I was impressed with the story and jumped at his offer. That is how 'Circus' started," said Ganesh.

Shekhar Chandru, the cinematographer who has been a regular for Ganesh's films, is wielding the camera for "Circus".

The film will also feature Veteran artists Gurudutt, Dharma, Muni and publicity designer Sai.

"Padmaja Rao, Avinash, Suma Rao and Aruna are also playing special roles in the film," said Dayal.