‘I’m glad to see Niveditha give voice to new talent through her film, Firefly’, said Shivarajkumar

Kannada actor Shivarajkumar is gearing up for the release of his daughter Niveditha Shivarajkumar’s debut venture, Firefly, this week. Calling his daughter ‘levelheaded’ and director Vamshi Krishna as a ‘promising talent’, the actor says the film’s unusual tone and script treatment impressed him, so much so that he also plays a cameo in it. The film’s release date, on his father Dr Rajkumar’s birth anniversary, has only added to his joy. Excerpts:
‘I MAY BE A STAR TO PEOPLE, BUT AT HOME I AM A FATHER TO MY DAUGHTERS’
I was emotional when I saw this whole film coming together. I may be a star to people, but at home I am a father to my daughters. To see Nivi (Niveditha) come to the fore and shoulder responsibilities as a thorough professional is so heartwarming. I’m very proud of her and the entire team for what they’ve done. When my daughter has put her trust into something, as a father, I should trust her judgment. I am someone who believes that good content should be supported regardless, and when the first support comes from home, the rest of the world will follow. Money is secondary. Our goal has always been about entertaining the audience. Money will automatically follow. We should not think of business initially, and that’s what I told Niveditha too. Both production houses at home are about backing stories we believe in without compromising on quality. Any firsts in life are always special, and I’m glad that Nivi didn’t take the beaten route but chose to back something so unique. I am glad she gave the mic to a new voice. She could have asked for my dates, but she didn’t. She did the script scouting, and she did all the groundwork. She came to me only after doing all the work. I am extremely proud of how she took that responsibility.
‘VAMSHI KNEW WHAT HE WANTED AND WENT STRAIGHT FOR THE KILL’
It was great fun to work with the young team. What I loved about working with Vamshi, the director, was the way he had prepared before the shoot. Not a single frame, a shot, or briefing to the actors, was on the spot. He knew what he wanted and went straight for the kill. Today, many young filmmakers are bringing forth new perspectives and bold ideas to the screen and it is refreshing. Stories might be modern, but emotions are timeless. The film deals with grief and how one overcomes it. It is an extremely relatable topic told in a very entertaining way. I was blown away by the way Vamshi had built the world. This is not a regular run-of-the-mill film, it’s an experience that needs to be savoured on the big screen.

‘FEELS LIKE APPAJI FIXED THIS RELEASE DATE’
The film is releasing on April 24, on Appaji (Dr Rajkumar’s) birthday. I feel like it was Appaji who fixed this release date. Because initially, we planned to release the film in December. But due to my health issues, we had to travel to Miami. Nivi accompanied us and was with us the whole time. So, back home, the team was keeping up with the momentum. We came back in January, and she immediately went back to work, handling post-production of this film. There is an unusual buzz about the film, and I hope it continues even after its release. Since it is releasing on his birthday, I want to call this a Kanike (tribute) to Appaji. Hopefully, it will become Premada Kanike (Token of love) in my daughter's life.