Four Years, One Story, and a Dream—Manasa Sharma’s Directorial Leap

Having already worked in the Kannada film industry for several years as a writer and associate director in various films, Manasa U Sharma is now stepping into the director’s chair for the first time. This movie is produced by a passionate producer Vijay Tata. He is producing six Kannada movie among which one of the movies is directed by a “Murfy” fame director Pradeep Varma. After working on this story for years and recently holding the film’s launch ceremony, she is excited and spoke exclusively to Cinibeat.

Can you tell us about the story?
– It’s hard to reveal much about the plot. But I can say that it’s a film filled with emotions that the whole family can sit together and watch. At the same time, it’s fun and light-hearted—something that will leave the audience feeling lighter and happier after watching it.

How was this story born?
– The idea came to me in 2021. At that time, I was working while writing the story. I completed the full script, including screenplay and dialogues, in about six months. Then, I spent nearly four years searching for a producer. Now, the right time has finally come. When I had gone to Hubballi, I witnessed an incident and two individuals who sparked the idea for this story. I used that as a base and developed it to fit the needs of the film.

Why the desire to direct? How did you enter this field?
– Everyone in my family has a craze for watching movies. My grandmother, even at the age of 70, used to go to watch films alone and would sometimes take me along. At Nalanda and Uma theatres, I watched many Kannada films with her. My mother loved watching old Kannada films, and my father enjoyed old Hindi films. My grandfather would tell me ten stories a day. I think that’s where I got my habit of storytelling. Gradually, by watching films, I also developed the urge to make them.

As a woman, what challenges have you faced in the film industry?
– Definitely. I’ve had both positive and negative experiences here. On set, when people heard me speak, many crew members—light boys, cameramen, and others—encouraged me to make films. But when I went to narrate my story to some producers, they would say, “This story is good. Give it to us; we’ll make it with other artists.” One person even told me, “Let’s add another director’s name alongside yours. If people hear it’s directed by a woman, they won’t come to theatres.” On the field, I’ve mostly felt safe, and the directors I worked with encouraged me a lot. But there were times when, just because I was a woman, I was restricted only to the costume department. Pitching a story was very difficult—many people didn’t take me seriously simply because I was a woman. However, Vijay Tata, the current producer, liked my story after hearing it and decided to make the film.

When will the shooting start?
– We’re planning to begin shooting in October. The script work is complete, and we’re currently in the pre-production stage. Filming will take place depending on the availability of the actors. Very soon, we’ll be releasing a small teaser and unveiling the title. We’ve set a goal to complete the film’s work by next April.