Prakash Raj interview: On presenting Kannada movie ‘Photo,’ and being targeted for his politics

The veteran actor discusses his growth as an individual and an artist, and says that he has no qualms about people disliking him for his political views and outspoken nature

Prakash Raj, known for his outspoken views, had an emotional moment last month. The seasoned actor couldn’t control his tears after watching the Kannada film Photo, directed by debutant Utsav Gonwar. Now the actor is presenting the film, releasing in theatres on March 15.

Photo is a haunting account of the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the underprivileged. The film, which depicts the migrant exodus during the COVID-19 lockdown, received a standing ovation at the Habitat International Film Festival in New Delhi. It premiered at the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) in 2023.

The film begins with a boy from Raichur traveling to Bengaluru to meet his father, a daily wage worker. The young boy dreams of clicking a photo of himself in front of the Vidhana Soudha, but the pandemic derails his plans. The film depicts the migrant exodus during the COVID-19 outbreak. “When some wounds of the society resurface, it disturbs you a lot,” says Prakash Raj.

Excerpts from a conversation with the actor:

What made you emotional about ‘Photo’?

I am an emotional person. The Colour Purple by Steven Spielberg made me cry, but I teared up for Photo for a different reason. Charlie Chaplin says, “Life is a comedy in a long shot and tragedy in the close-up.” Photo is that sort of a film.

During the pandemic, when I saw hundreds of people walking to their homes barefoot on the highways, I cried and didn’t know what to do. All I could do was cook food for 500 people. Around 40 of them decided to stay with me for two to three months. I felt very helpless. Now after the pandemic, we have swept everything under the carpet and behaved like everything is fine.

But there are certain wounds in civilisation that you should never forget. I told myself I would not sit and regret that I couldn’t make a film like this. So I decided to stand by the movie and help it get a theatrical release.