Srinivas Prabhu is busy with the post production work of his film Bimba - Those 90 Minutes. The actor is excited as he has co-produced and co-directed the film with G Murthy.
The film is based on the life of playwright Samsa. “He was an amazing playwright, he suffered from persecution complex and suicidal tendencies. We have set the film in the pre-independence era and have captured his turmoil.”
Srinivas plays Samsa in the film. The speciality of the film, he says is that it is a solo act, with just him on screen for 90 minutes. “The film starts with Samsa locking himself in a room and setting a time to kill himself. As he fixes the time, he realises he has 90 minutes to kill himself. He remembers certain incidents of his life. The film captures the final 90 minutes of his life in that one room,” shares the actor, who has earlier portrayed the same character on stage.
“We could have made Bimba - Those 90 Minutes with more actors and larger sets, but we did not have the budget. We decided to make the film by depicting his soul and essence as a playwright. The film did not need grandeur for that. We felt just one actor on screen was the best way to bring out his turmoil.”
Srinivas rehearsed for just two months before filming it in 104 minutes straight. “There were no retakes at all and it was shot in 104 minutes,” beams the man. The few extra minutes were used as the camera battery died down, laughs Srinivas.
The film is currently in post-production and “if all goes well”, he plans to release it by the end of this year.
“The film is a tribute to Samsa and his works,” says the actor, who has portrayed innumerable characters on the large and small screen, as part of mega serials like Janani, Sanje Mallige and Naaku Thanthi.
A gold medallist in Kannada literature, Srinivas took to theatre like fish to water and even today balances between acting on stage and screen. He is also popular as the voice of Crazy Star Ravi Chandran, having dubbed for the actor in his earlier films such as Prema Loka, Anjada Gandu and Ranadheera.
Even as Kurukshetra, with Ravi Chandran playing Krishna, is getting ready for release, there are talks that Srinivas will be roped in again to lend his voice for the star.
As of now Srinivas is immersed in Bimba..... The film has music by Pravin Godkhindi, PKH Das is the director of photography, screenplay and direction is by G. Murthy and Srinivas Prabhu.