Bangalore: We reach 2Streams on a hot sunny afternoon. 2Streams is better known for its exceptional Kannada serial- GARVA aired on E-TV Kannada a few months ago. A 40- something man walks in and we know it is Prakash Belawadi, founder of 2Streams.

I used Quantum Physics to explain certain scenes to Anant Nag in GARVA, grins the ace director. Running his hands through his salt-pepper hair, he told us how he managed to relate Physics to a middle-class serial. The explanation that ensued can run into another full-fledged article!

Middle class people should not attempt to make a movie, he sighs, just having returned from Mumbai after a harrowing meeting with film distributors. Cinema is a tough business, we cannot even imagine the money involved.

All too eager to talk about STUMBLE, his maiden venture in films, Belawadi settles down for this exclusive interview with Indiainfo.com.

Tell us about your childhood, upbringing? How did your parents influence you early in life?

I grew up watching my artist parents (Narayan, well-known as Makeup Nani and Bhargavi Narayan). My mother says, we were just infants when she took us to rehearsals. I grew up watching her work and was inspired by it, though I never thought I would be involved in theatre. My aim was to become an entrepreneur and have my own industry.

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Being a mechanical engineer, why did you think of entering journalism and then dramatics?

After engineering, there is very little one can do in India. It meant going abroad for a masters programme. I couldn’t pretend to be an engineer for very long. I had even put in two years as a software professional, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I became a real estate agent to make some quick money! With due apologies to all my friends, it is a very sleazy business. Then, I thought of becoming a full time theatre person, and then…when you have nothing to do, you become a journalist!

But it was really 'Emergency' that introduced me to ideas of freedom and innovation, the conflict between individual and state liberty.

Amateur theatre was at its peak in the early seventies. The people who reacted strongly to 'Emergency' were the theatre people. You would have had to be a cretin to be immune to the things that were happening at that time.

Tell us about your theatre experience…

Even when I entered theatre, I was only interested in the technical aspect. I was a lighting designer for some time. I kept following theatre, when someone gave me the idea of directing plays.

What are the differences between Kannada and English theatres?

Earlier, in Kannada theatre, caste was a major issue, which is why I entered English theatre. You can find the best literature of the world in English theatre. But at the same time, English theatre, at best, will only remain a demonstration of virtuosity. It is only a presentation of skills and very difficult to treat English theatre as an expression of our concerns.

Has there been a distinct change in theatre goers over the years?

The changes are very positive. If you give quality and consistent professional theatre, you will get an audience. More and more people are flocking theatres today. It is mainly because of inanity of television that theatre has a better audience now.

GARVA: Movies that touch the middle class have met with great success on cinema and television. GARVA was certainly above the average middle class stereotype serial. What prompted you to go ahead with such a project, did you take a risk?

We have to train the audience to accept different kinds of work. Much of what we see today only insult the audience' intellect. I was craving to do sensible cinema. I wanted to bring all kinds of subjects- politics, economics at one table, which is exactly what I did in GARVA.

How did you choose a leading film actor like Anant Nag to play the lead role in GARVA?

I wanted to bring in negativity into the lead character’s personality in GARVA. That is why I chose the character of a liquor baron, which would raise moral and ethical questions. Anant Nag played the role with finesse. When I read the script to him, there were tears in his eyes. He was so moved by the storyline, everything else just flowed from there. Anant was totally convinced.

A heartening trend in GARVA was the youngsters comfortably brushing shoulders with veterans like Anant Nag and Bhargavi Narayan. Do you think there is a lot of talent waiting to be discovered?

"A lot" is an understatement. Especially in Bangalore, one can find enormous talent. You give these youngsters something sensible to do and they will beat your expectations. In fact, if there was anything lacking in GARVA, it came from me, not my actors.

Tell us about your new venture STUMBLE

It is very difficult to slot this film, everything about it is different. One cannot call it good or bad. Unlike other films, the work place forms the central theme in this movie.

All of us deal with the same kind of questions, about our careers, money, marriage and so on. STUMBLE will address issues that haunt you and me. Everyone will identify with the characters, because it is truthful. STUMBLE deals with everyday concerns, the challenges and complexity of everyday life.

Why a movie in English?

How can you say words like 'venture capital', 'under selling' in Kannada? We have not developed vocabulary in Kannada for oft used English words.

Kannada filmmakers have been left out for too long. Money-making rogues who have earned their wealth in funny ways are bent upon spending it the same way. They, along with the underworld, third rate intellect on one side and pseudo- intellectuals, pseudo-Left wing, self indulgent people on the other have held us to ransom for too long. This is our revenge. This is only the thin end of the wedge. Sensible, realistic cinema is here to stay.

Tell us about your other interests?

I read a lot, I listen to music. We in India think there is something wrong with classical music. There is a divide between the present and the classical genre of music. The gap between the two has become divergent. We should be able to create good music based on classical traditions that has a contemporary feel. We should address this as a serious issue.

If you get an unlimited budget for a movie, what will you chose to do?

First of all, I don’t want an unlimited budget. If you are willing to give me lots of money, I will build a school, a digital library and a digital production centre that will be the envy of the world.