Florine Roche
Daijiworld Media Network

Mangalore, Aug 29: Actor Namrutha Hedge is just six movies to her credit so far having made her debut in sandalwood in 2010 in Richard Castelino directed Kannada movie “Ellellu Neene Nannallu Neene”.  Technically, however, “5 Idiots” directed former well known child actor Anand, where she essayed the role of the 5th idiot, was her first release. 

Though she is a latest addition to sandalwood Namrutha is busy juggling between Mumbai-Bangalore-Mangalore now that her home production Tulu movie “Sompa”, in which she is also the lead actor, is getting ready for release in September this year.

This model-turned-TV artiste-turned actor says she loves taking multiple challenges.  Armed with a MBA degree from Ohio University, it is not surprising to find her fully engrossed in everything related to movies because that is what she always wanted to do.

After taking a crash course from Anupam Kher’s acting school in Mumbai she was ready for the bad-mad world of film industry. 

But it is in this mad and bad film industry where Namrutha is finding her creative fulfillment.  “I always had a desire to be a part of the creative field of the entertainment industry and that is what makes me happy”, she says. 

It is this craze for being a part of the crazy but fulfilling field of creativity that made her turn into  a producer of the Tulu movie “Sompa”.  

Playing the role of the second lead heroine in Ram Shetty’s recently released Tulu film “Bangarada Kural” was the kind of push she needed to find a foray in to the Tulu film industry and Namrutha took a giant leaf forward to become a producer of a Tulu film as a tribute to her mother tongue Tulu.  

“Sompa” has generated controversy for a very different reason and that was a challenge which she handled with great alacrity like a seasoned producer.  The title of the movie which was originally known as “Rampa” had to be changed into “Sompa” by responding to the sentiments of the family members of well-known hotelier J Ramappa Poojary who expressed their apprehensions that the title might become another means for people to poke fun at late Ramappa who is already popular with ‘Rampa’ jokes.   

Having taken care of the change of the title responding to the sentiments of the family members of Ramappa, Namrutha Hegde is now gearing to handle the challenge associated with the release of  the film.  The film is with the censor board and will be first released in Septemeber in undivided Dakshina Kannada.  Subsequently the producer has plans to release the film in Bangalore, Mumbai and Dubai which has a sizeable Tulu speaking population. 

Namrutha says that Ramappa’s family had borne the expenses of the changed posters as the posters were already printed before the controversy erupted.

“Sompa” is said to be an outright comedy movie depicting Tulu culture and lifestyle in all its lavishness.  The story revolves round three persons who are struggling in their day to day life.  They become victims of a serious problem and films are about their efforts to wriggle out of the tricky situation.  The movie has lot of hilarious situations along with romantic interludes and suspense and thrills thrown in ample measure,  to make it a complete family entertainer.  “It is an out and out complete entertainer”, Namrutha  asserts.

Namrutha says it was her co-star Ajathashatru who first narrated the story to her and she developed the characters subsequently.  Ajathashatru is basically a scholarship student in Anupam Kher’s school of acting and has acted in many Marathi and Gujarati films and tv serials and story narrated by Ajathashatru acted like a catalyst culminating in the movie “Sompa”.  Sompa is directed by well known cinematographer, film maker and movie director Rajan Lyallpuri, who is also the cinematographer of the film. 

There are many firsts to the credit of “Sompa”.  For the first time an entire Hindi song has been used in the film to make it appealing it to a wider audience (nonTulu).   Dialogues of the film are by Rajan Lyalapuri and Shashiraj Kavoor.  Songs are written by Vijay Kumar Kodialbail and Shashiraj Kavoor. 

For the first time many Hindi actors including veteran  actor Sadashiv Amrapurkar will play a major role  in a Tulu movie along with Aravind Bolar.  Many actors from Mumbai’s “Kala Jagath” have been roped in as artistes for the movie and local Tulu theatre artistes also have been given a chance in the film.  The music for the movie is provided by Iqbal Durbar, brother of Bollywood music director Ismail Durbar.  The film has been shot in Mumbai and Mangalore. 

Namrutha has grand plans to promote her film “Sompa” in a big way and a big promotional campaign is planned at Panambur Beach on September 3, 2012.  

For Namrutha who hails from Bondel in Mangalore this is a big opportunity to assert herself both as an actor and producer.  Though born in Mangalore she was brought up and educated in Dubai.  Though films were her first interest her parents insisted she complete her education  before taking up acting as a career.  So armed with a MBA from USA Namrutha was ready to jump into the bandwagon after her return.  She started her career as a model having modeled for some of the well known brands in Dubai like Calvin Ckein, Mango and River Island and Acer in Dubai.  

Having tried her hand in the small screen through the serial ‘Mere Ghar Aayi Ek Nanhi Pari’ she wanted to explore the bigger screen i.e films. A chance meeting with Rohit Kateel helped her to get in touch with Producer Frank Fernandes and Director Richard Castelino and she has signed for her first movie “Ellellu Neene……”.  

For the last three years Namrutha is based in Mumbai and is currently busy with a Hindi movie “Gandhi Tere Desh Mein” starring veteran actors Raghuvir Yadav and Aruna Irani.  She has also acted in a Gujarati movie and is open to roles from other languages.  She is a multi-talented personality who has tried her had in designing too.  She has set up her own store houses of fabric salwars, western wear and saris in Bangalore.  She exports Indian & Western clothes to beauty pageants and fashion shows to US and the Middle East.  The family is based in Bangalore and her mother is shuttling between Bangalore and Dubai.

Her father, who has been supportive of her filmy career passed away four years ago.  Mother Geetha Hegde who was instrumental in her daughter becoming an actress is also the co-producer of “Sompa” and along with brother Nikhil Hegde has been actively involved in the production related work of the movie.

When it comes to roles Namrutha has shown her talent for comedy and even in this movie she has ample opportunity to display her talent for comedy. 

Namrutha is confident that people of Tulunadu will enjoy watching the movie “Sompa”, wherever the movie is released. “Whatever might be the controversy involving the title I believe this film is going to be a thorough family entertainer and worth a dekho”, she promised. 

Watch 'Sompa' Promo 

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