"Emergency Exit"says the neon lit board above the door I see.I know for sure that the door opens to an exit outside."Restroom" says the one above the wooden door at end of auditorium.We know that when we open that door we will find washrooms. But just imagine..if there's a magical door marked "Fame"..you open it and will instantly be hounded by paparazzi wanting your esteemed view on everything under the sun;you will be on covers of magazines in all languages;you will be face of every conceivable Tv channel... Or a door named Wealth which leads to all riches you imagined Or a door called Success which when opened makes you the successful person you dreamt to be.. Looks unrealistic..isn't it? So "The door to success" is no single opening.Its a series of doors you open progressively.Like Srinivasa who is seen after series of golden doors opening in succession in Vaikunta ,way to success is one door after another.Each opportunity well utilized,each offer well accepted and performed best,each chance to prove ones capacity not missed is a door to success.Constant improvement,unwavering focus,calculated risks,attention to quality,never taking things for granted are the keys to the doors.

Today , I was talking to few fans watching the shooting.

"We love your comedies "one said.

I asked them which comedy scenes they enjoyed in my films.Each one had a different reply.Here are a few of scenes they mentioned as favorites..are they your favorites too?

Ramashamabhama..Urvashi wants to know truth I close my mouth with food or napkin or water or burp and make words not heard properly.

Ramashamabhama...stuck in aeroplane with Kamal saying munda munda for evrything.

Ramashamabhama..urvashi barks lika a dog in climax.

Kothigalu sir Kothigalu..one man acting two characters one as stylised youngster other as juttu brahmin Kothigalu sir Kothigalu..Umasri as limping ghost scaring me narayan mohan kothigaluSir kothigalu..I am drunk and mistake a leopard in zoo cage for dalmatian dog.

Kurigalu Sir Kurigalu..I am blind without glasses and wear snake as belt .

Kurigalu Sir Kurigalu..Without glasses I hug Ruchitas fat dark mom instead of Ruchita..and .bull fight in same scene Kurigalu sir kurigalu..Sunderraj tells Umasrs age to Rami,Moni

Ultapalta...climax confusion

Jokefalls..so many wordplays between kannada v/s english

SatyavanSavitri..jennifer ramesh v/s daisy mohan in restaraunt leading 3 pretty girls in gents  toilet.

Venkata in sankata..umeshanna as Ajji ,me,devdas in bike with car steering comedy..

As they were laughing and talking one of the ladies said "We want to see you in Amrutavarshini,NamooraMandara kind of role again"

I think PushpakaVimana is an answer to that request.releasing in dasara holidays.

I often get this question from many people....

It comes from everywhere from news article,a story heard at party,a proverb,anything that strikes you.During RamaShamaBhama one unit member didnot attend shooting suddenly.When I enquired I was told he had gone to attend a funeral .His brother in law died while crossing an unmanned railway crossing near Hassan. Train had rammed into his Scorpio.That was seed of the story of Accident.I researched and found there were many many unmanned railway crossings in India and such accidents happen.This news +Scenes from few more films i had seen +conversations with eyecamp organisers in a party +inputs from crew++++etc joined to form a plot and accident film happened.

So what is creativity?

I think every creative act is like arranged marriage.

Two people totally unrelated are joined to form a new union in arranged marriage.likewise two existing ideas join to form a new idea which has best of both the bride and groom.

I think creativity is seeing two different things together as one.Its seeing something common in two different things.a surprising new third thing is born.

(Sambhandane ildeiro vastugalige ondu nootana sambhanda huttisuvude creativity )In the process lot of confusion happens.creative people are comfortable with confusion.they know this confusion is normal and soon clarity will arrive.sometimes clarity never comes.without being dejected creative people try all over again.when edison invented electric bulb after 99unsuccessful attempts ,they asked were you not tired of trying again and again.?He said i came to know 99 ways it WONT work in the process.100th time igot it right.

"Idu heege irabeku"...annodanna challenge madode creativity.we break rules regularly.Nothing is sacred unbreakable law in 'creative land.'Sometimes we win sometimes we lose.creativity acts always involves risks.it may hit or flop badly.

YElla directioninda baro yElla hosa inputsgu  openagi irode creativity..

Anirikshita aagamanagalige sada tayaragi iruvude creativity.One famous Hollywood director used to say "keep the windows of studio set open.God knows what will come flying inside".to be update, to keep reading ,to keep your minds 'antenna 'open for any signal from anywhere is most important.

Its great pleasure to do any creative act.its a super thrill only creative people will understand.ofcourse we dont exactly understand how it works.we get a 'flash -,a sudden idea just comes without warning or giving a hint. The subconscious mind is the biggest contributor for creativity.everything we read,we heard,we saw from the time we are born is stored in a computer called brain and it comes out in strange combinations depending on the inspiration .its just amazing.

So whats the story of my next film.?i really dont know.I am waiting for my subconscious mind to throw out a new combination of thoughts from inside.

2000 yrs ago there was a little river Rubicon which marked boundary of Rome.Any army which crossed Rubicon meant they were waging war against The state.When Julius ceasar who was just a general at that time crossed Rubicon he was doing an act against state  and senate.So "crossing Rubicon" refers to taking a step which is irreversible and  has permanent consequences.

We have LaxmanRekha in our stories.If Sita had not crossed the line drawn by Laxmana ,Ravana would not have  kidnapped her and Ramayana would have been another story with no Lankan war.

All of us have Rubicons and Laxman Rekhas in our life.Some decisions which will cause change our life for ever.

When I quit Engineering and became an actor I crossed the LaxmanRekha..no more factory workers ,no more corporate meetings,no more machine sounds but I heard claps and got love of all kannadigas which I treasure.

Again when I became director with RamaShamaBhama there was another Rubicon crossing.If RSB had flopped I would have been part of a sad story.I was fortunate that twice the Laxman Rekha worked in my favour.

Many talented assistant directors prefer to remain in same position and refuse directors chair because crossing that line means big risk.Thensecurity of future earnings will depend on success of debut film as director .So they never cross that line.Crossing that line sometimes works well and many times against.

We see examples  of people crossing invisible LaxmanRekhas all around us.

When someone has an affair...

When someone files for divorce..

When someone is unhappy with present job and quits..

When Kamalji decides to release in DTH before theatres..

When you are at crossroads and there is a LaxmanRekha threatening you..just think..

Whats worst thing that can happen if you cross?

Get more info of what can actually happen.

What do you lose or gain if you do not cross LaxmanRekha and remain where you are?

What does your heart say?

What does logic say?

Which feeling is better?crossing or remaining where you are..?Which will make you better as human being in your own mind?

Then decide .

There is no general rule.Each case is unique.You know best.Gud luck.

My father would say those magic words and I couldnt wait to stand in the queue to buy the ticket.Hoping "house full" board wouldn't be on ,we would rush as a family to Shanthi theatre in an auto.

The huge red curtains would rise to trumpet music and the silver screen would appear.After Indian news documentary ,the censor certificate would come on signalling us to get ready for magic..First the logo of production house then the titlecards over multicoloured patterns and then the story would start and then the ultimate moment-the hero arrives onscreen.Fans would clap whistle throw coins on seeing his foot land dynamically.He would sing and dance and fight and say clever lines and would wear best of clothes.He would be brave or innocent or a foodie or a warrior or a pilot or a thief but in the end he would win everybody's heart....Shift to present day...

Everything about movies is changing but something's remain same mainly...winning hearts in the end..that is the ultimate motive of every director or actor or producer..to win your heart..through the hero or the heroine or the visuals or the music or the emotion or the dialogue or a combination of all.

we will make you cry or  laugh or scream or angry or amazed or anything  to win your heart.its your approval which matters most in commercial cinema.the whole expensive process of cinema making is to find out 'do you also like this idea as much as I did?'When my idea of entertainment matches yours the result is superhit.When you don't approve of my concept my film flops.But I will try again with another new  dream another new idea which will excite you and you will tell your kids Let's go to movies..this particular movie I hear is gud.

Today we are shooting in a mutton stall. Mukyamantri chandru is the butcher. He is advising me and S.Narayan how to trap a rich girl and settle in life.I am sitting on a wooden bench with 4 huge sheep without head feet or skin.

Coming from a pure vegetarian family this sight is new to me. As kids I remember my mom avoiding a road because it had a mutton shop and taking deviation via a parallel street. Here I am in makeup surrounded by meat of all kinds. The owner was explaining how a liver kidney and intestines look. S.Narayan was telling me health benefits of eating 'tale mamsa'. The assistant was cutting the meat into little pieces called Kheema. There was an apron stained with blood hanging next to me.!

The dialogue was apt too. Chandru says "kayakave Vaikunta". I correct it and say "adu kayakave Kailasa "...truly work is worship...

My work as actor takes me to every kind of location.. One day we shoot in butcher shop one day in KalyanMantap next in jail and a graveyard or himalayas or a beautiful beach. That's best part of being an actor. You are a part of every world. You live life in instalments. Glad to be an actor!

Dubai with its awesome airport,malls,skyscrapers also has its big spread of rich and super rich.I went there to direct and perform in a starshow .Oneof the patrons was kind enough to invite me to his kingly mansion.Right at the gate a ferrari,a rolls royce,a lamborgini were parked underlining the opulence of the owner.He was warm ,hospitable and charming.

All along I wanted to ask a simple question "How does one become a millionaire ?"but resisted.
 Over tea conversations I casually asked" Does your son want to follow your footsteps in real estate?"
 He told me an eye opener of a tale.

His 14 yr old son had wanted to follow his dad.Last school holidays ,he volunteered to train in dad's office.Our millionaire agreed gladly.On day one of training the young boy ,dressed smart, walked into dad's office, sat on dad's chair and inquired with dad's secretary what he was supposed to do.
 The secretary,totally clueless ,phoned our richman who was in a meeting elsewhere.
 The richman instucted his son first to get off the leather chair ,walk to office corner sit by copying machine and supervise the xeroxes being done.
 The boy was zapped."But why?" he asked.

"Every page wasted on xerox machine costs us 50paise.If you can learn saving 50 paises you automatically learn saving millions"was the cool reply.
 The boy got his answer and so did I -for my unasked question.