The second off beat and interesting film from art director G.Murthy (he made a thought provoking ‘Kurunadu’) is heading for release in January 2009 second week. It is this time of Sankranthi the Cows are given extra care and affection as the harvest season arrives. As the film ‘Shankara Punyakoti’ also speaks on cows significance the release is very appropriate. From ‘Shankaracharaya’ the title has been now changed to ‘Shankara Punyakoti’ to keep away the controversy from a section of Brahmin community.
‘Shankara Punyakoti’ shot in the serene and religious places making use of nearly 600 cows says the cow milk is common to all religion. So why not keep harmony in the society. This film is shot with lot of devotion in places like Neelavara (where saint Sri Pejawar Swamiji maintains 600 cows), Kallu Ganapathi, Kolake Bailu, Gokarna, Hesaralu Aramane and temple surroundings. This film has six songs and four Shlokas sung by reputed Vidyabhushan for the first time in a film. Bannanje Govindacharaya the authority on Madhwa Philosophy has written a song Shankara Shankara Balinalli Ankura…the stage artists of Udupi are also acting for the first time and most important from Udupi Math is Sri Thulasidas who picks the leaves of Thulasi plant from last twenty years and offers it to lord Krishna Idol in Udupi disclosed G.Murthy who has invested Rs.60 lakhs on the project. In twenty five days we have been visiting temples in the morning and evening at the start and close of days shoot says Murthy.
This is the real Indian film. The whole film is like tasting honey on a full moon day says Sharat Babu the protagonist of the film. The producers have gusts to make this kind of film where everything is in order. The title is very apt for the film. The focus of ‘Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavanthu’…. The significance of cows would be very pleasant to the eyes and the contents to the hearts. The message in this film is very well blended. The pious place of cows in our society you would watch on screen and this film ‘Shankara Punyakoti’ is definitely a film to watch says Sharad Babu. After doing this role I have become softer. There is nothing artificial but everything is natural. On the issue of cow slaughter Sharat Babu says it is inhuman and already we have exploited the cow to a great extent. It should stop he vouches.
Producer Srinivas Sood with two films to his credit in 1990 and 1995 and both starring Kashinath feels happy for the over all shaping up of the film after 13 years of his re entry. I wonder why the producers say crores for the films. We have done this film in 60 lakhs and the dubbing work has also been completed. This film ‘Shankara Punyakoti’ is an example for quality with perfect spending too to Gandhinagar he says. Amaranath Hegde the joint producer is happy on the over all developments from day one.