Ashok: ‘It was always about the content, not the image’

Ashok was one of the reigning stars of the 70s and 80s. She served some of the top heroines of her time and gave many hits with Aarti along with films like Puttanna Kanagal. Ranganayaki, Ganesan Glory And Thiya Delhi. Ashok is playing the role of Dada in the Kannada web-series, olawinda nildanCreated by Shruti Naidu and Ramesh Indira.

“I used to act in many television serials earlier. I felt tired at 8 in the morning on the sets with makeup on and working long hours,” says Ashok. “I decided to take a break and realized that a decade has passed since Shruti approached me for this role. She insisted that I star in the series and said that the role was written with my mind in mind, and here I am. ,

The actor believes that television has grown exponentially. “It is a more intimate space because the story and characters are brought into our homes that the family watches together. For cinema, the viewer has to take out time, spend money and go out. On television, characters become like family.”

Ashok had previously acted in such series half truth And Gupta Gamini ,

BSc student changed lanes after being bitten by acting bug. He left to study acting at the Madras Film Institute, where he and Rajinikanth were classmates as well as roommates and their shenanigans are remembered by their peers.

Ashok made his debut in Kannada film Henu Sansarada Kannu Unlike Sridevi “That was in 1975. I was 24 years old and Sridevi was around 17 or 18. It was heartening to see the young girl grow into a great actor and star. Her sad demise at such a young age. was. Henu Sansarada Kannuwas built in the last days of the black and white era.”

His choice of role, says Ashoka, was driven by conviction. “Stay it Sanadi Appanna, Bhagyawantru either thaiya madidalliI had to be convinced of the character’s motivation and behavior.”

Ashok says that every character he played was a challenge. “I would put myself in their place, studying the time of their stay, the culture and the society in which the character was placed. This is how I approached each character. It was always about the content and never about the image. really when Ganesan Mahime, I was offered, I was not convinced about why the character was an atheist and hated Lord Ganesha. We build up to an incident that causes the character to hate the deity and how the character changes through the film. ,

After working in the Kannada film industry for more than four decades, Ashok commented on the changes he had witnessed. “In those days, we used to get together to make cinema, but today it is just a ‘shoot’. There is no involvement. In those days we used to be involved in a film from the very beginning of the story, today, it is a huge business and hence, I think sometimes it gets impersonal. ,

Ashok, who was the founding president of the Karnataka Film Artists, Workers and Technicians Union, says he is hurt by the way film technicians are paid. “We had planned to give them PF and other benefits, but we did not get proper support, and we could not do much. During the pandemic, industry workers were the worst affected. Nobody thinks about the people working tirelessly behind the scenes in the film industry.

Can’t the industry try and adopt Rashit Shetty’s plan where he declares that his film has a certain amount of profit 777 Charlie Will it go towards animal welfare and crew? “The desire to share profits should come voluntarily. Ironically, the world only sees the top 10% of the pyramid of life, with the remaining 90% always in the shadows. ,

Ashok is eagerly waiting for the release of his next film. Pickles & Co. It is a PRK (Puneet Rajkumar) film, with an all-female team from director and cinematographer to composer. It has been a great experience working with him.”

Olavinda Nildana is currently on Voot Select. streaming on