Paavana Gowda talks about her solo role in the Kannada movie IN

Your film IN is being screened today at Biffes. How do you think film festivals help filmmakers?

Festivals like Biffes are the need of the day as they bring films and filmmakers from across the globe under one roof. You understand where you stand on the global platform as a filmmaker and as an actor when you come to a festival such as this. I have been attending Biffes everyday, watching films and am enjoying it. Am stumped by the films chosen this year, the people networking here… it is amazing! And Biffes has lived up to its name again — it is literally a festival celebrating cinema and there is so much to learn and take home.

You are the lone actor in the entire film of IN. Tell us about your preparation for such a role…

The film is set during the lockdown period in Bengaluru. The lockdown itself prepared me for the role. We just put together our experiences, the situations we faced and the need of that hour and IN was born. Ironically, the making of this film, with barely a handful of staff, helped us come out of the struggles of Covid-19. The film captures life as it is and brings it to the screen.

This is your second film with Badiger Devendra, after Rudri. Both are women-centric films where you play the protagonist.

Since our working rapport on Rudri was excellent, there were no second thoughts when he offered me IN. Badiger is open minded, listens to ideas and is collaborative in his approach to cinema. He is even open to changing ideas that he holds dear if it elevates the story. Working with him is easy as he respects every person and department involved in the making of the film and that makes all the difference. And I am looking forward to working with him again.

You have also ventured into the Tamil film industry …

Yes, I have worked in a film with Varalaxmi (actor Sarath Kumar’s daughter) in V3. There are three main characters in this strong story and I had a great role in it. I am really happy to be a part of this film which may hit an OTT platform soon.

Your family is into production, so will we see you don the role of a producer or a director?

Not as yet, but, perhaps in the future. What I am passionate about is cinema, to be a part of any aspect of filmmaking, regardless of the department. As long as it is connected to cinema, I am open to take on any role.

Do you think the OTT platform has changed the manner in which people see entertainment?

Definitely. People have been exposed to all kinds of cinema and genres at a click of a button, and now, they look for fresh content and perspectives. OTT conquered our market during the lockdown. So, today, until you are the best in content, story and acting, you stand no choice. With OTT, our films are compared to world cinema. The audience is no longer thinking about the budget or star cast — they don’t matter anymore. All people want is good cinema and that is all we need to come up with as actors and filmmakers.