The power of habit is so strong that film buffs will pack cinema halls in no time once the lockdown imposed to stamp out the coronvirus is lifted, believes actor-director Ramesh Aravind. Its not the first time that the film industry is facing a crisis, he said noting that after the great depression nearly a century ago, movies including Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times went on to become super hits.
The film industry will definitely bounce back and be in full swing within probably one-and-half to two months of the lifting of lockdown, Aravind, who is in the entertainment industry for more than three decades, told PTI in an interview.
Force of habit is so strong thatyou are a social animal, you are used to crowds, you want to be in crowds, you want to be connecting with people, Aravind, who has acted in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi films, said. Aravind, who predominantly worked in Kannada, where he has more than 100 films to his credit, said people need entertainment. ...you have been stuck in house with small screen (television) for three months, you would love to see a big screen experience if the stuff is good of course...
People will be back to theatres watching films, he added.
He expressed hope COVID-19 cases would level off soon and people would realise its not as bad as one had imagined. Aravind is spending part of his time during the lockdown period discussing script for Shivaji Surathkal 2, a mystery thriller, with director Akash Srivatsa. He is also learning things, including video game designing, he was curious about, but never had time to do nor devote energy. Family bonding is happening big time. I, my daughter and my wife had not had meals together for ages; now we are having all three meals together. I am trying to help small little things like folding clothes, he said.
Aravind never knew accounting and had no clue about terms like debit, credit, ledger, appropriation of profits and things of that sort but can now read a balance sheet much better. According to him, the lockdown period was the best time for introspection. For self analysisto look at things you have messed up in your life and how to correct them, what is the corrective action to be taken, once things open up how you proceed further; this was the best time for reflection which you never had time for your own, he said. Aravind said one has to realise that the power of habits was controlling ones life and one has to be smart enough to change them to make life smoother. ]
Lack of time cited by people to not do certain things is actually excuses and non- interest in doing them. Shivaji Surathkal released on February 21, in which he played a lead role, was doing well at the box when the lockdown was declared by the Karnataka government in the middle of March leading to stopping of its screening, he said.
Aravind said the movie 100 which revolves around cyber stalking, directed by him, is ready to hit the screens. He played the lead character in the film, which was about to be released when stay-at-home restrictions came into force. Thats probably one of the first films to be released after the lockdown is lifted, he said.