Naveen Sajju in ‘Lo Naveena’.
| Picture Credit score: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
In 2013, a nervous and overwhelmed Naveen Sajju wished to again out of singing for Pawan Kumar’s crowd-funded Lucia. A stage performer and people singer from a small village close to Mandya, Naveen discovered the world of filmmaking intimidating. As we speak, Naveen’s readability and confidence about his craft are endearing. There was by no means any doubt about his expertise, however the poise with which he speaks about it exhibits his progress.
Lucia kick-started the careers of a number of gifted artistes in Kannada cinema, together with Naveen Sajju. After greater than a decade of playback singing, Sajju has turned actor with Lo Naveena. The movie’s 50-day run in theatres has reassured Sajju to pursue appearing additional. “I used to be all the time an actor,” Naveen tells The Hindu. “I used to sing in stage performances, and that’s what folks seen extra.”
Because the face of the movie, Naveen took on the better duty of anchoring the promotions of Lo Naveena. It’s a well-meaning but flawed film a couple of carefree teen from a village who strikes to Bengaluru and faces the challenges of adapting to metropolis life. The movie tracks the protagonist Naveena’s journey by way of friendship and romance.
Naveen admits that the convoluted screenplay was a downside, however stresses that individuals from small cities may relate to the occasions within the protagonist’s life. “The occasions felt acquainted and struck a chord,” he says. That’s exactly why Naveen centered on taking the movie to rural audiences throughout Karnataka.
“I travelled to Nanjanagudu, Chamarajanagara, Kollegala, Malavalli and Mandya to advertise the film,” reveals Naveen. “It was as if we had been inviting folks to a marriage. viewers, in flip, introduced in additional viewers. If you’re assured about your content material, it’s necessary to put money into ground-level promotions.”
Naveen’s concern additionally stems from the truth that Kannada movies are struggling to get footfalls in theatres. “Individuals need leisure, and it’s out there simply by way of social media. Persons are hooked on reels and short-form content material. As makers, our job is to attract their consideration again to cinema by way of artistic advertising methods. In our case, songs performed a serious function. They proceed to rule the charts,” says Naveen, who composed the music for the film.
Naveen is fast to level out the constructive facet of social media. “The actors who play the very best buddies of the protagonist had been forged after I noticed their comedy sketches on-line. Once I began working within the business, it was tough to showcase our expertise to business professionals. As we speak, the visibility of aspiring actors has elevated because of social media.”
Lo Naveena may not be a blockbuster, however it’s admirable that the movie withstood stiff competitors from a number of marquee releases. “My film clashed with Dhruva Sarja’s KD, the horror sensation Obsession, Ram Charan’s Peddi and Mango Pachcha (debut of Sanchith Sanjeev, nephew of celebrity Sudeep),” recollects Naveen, who travelled even to the smallest cities to exhibit his film.
“Single screens in Karnataka have diminished drastically. A lot of them stay closed for a number of months and function sometimes. I went to these theatres and satisfied the house owners to display my film. They had been extraordinarily pleased with Lo Naveena’s efficiency.”
ALSO READ: How Kannada cinema failed the proficient Dileep Raj
The film has acquired a a lot better response after it started streaming on Prime Video. It’s presently trending within the Romantic Comedies part of the platform. “I’ve obtained a number of appearing presents after Lo Naveena premiered on Prime Video,” reveals Naveen, whose subsequent is an untitled challenge with director Vinay Krishna. “It helped that Lo Naveena was carried out by folks I knew. It made me comfy dealing with the digicam.”
Naveen’s high-pitched supply and rustic voice make him a singular singer. He is without doubt one of the few famous artists, after Raghu Dixit, to steer a people band within the Kannada music area. At the moment making ready to carry out on the AKKA Silver Jubilee World Kannada Convention within the US in September, Naveen needs to experiment in music whereas staying rooted in custom.
“I need to experiment and discover the newest developments with out letting go of our heritage. I need my music to include Basavanna’s vachanas and phrases of Santha Shishunala Sharifa, whereas nonetheless retaining a contemporary sound.”
Revealed – August 07, 2026 08:26 pm IST
