Karnad was keen to make my biopic: Capt Gopinath

The Kannadiga who brought air travel within the reach of common people reveals how he became the subject of ‘Soorarai Pottru’, the big OTT release this week

Capt G R Gopinath, who revolutionised flying in India by launching the country’s first budget airline, is now the subject of a biopic.

Army officer, silk farmer, entrepreneur, politician and author — Gopinath, grandson of renowned Kannada novelist Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar, has donned many hats.

The Tamil film ‘Soorarai Pottru’, starring Suriya and Aparna Balamurali, released on Amazon Prime on November 12, is based on Gopinath’s autobiography ‘Simply Fly’. The 68-year-old Gopinath took time off to speak to Showtime about the magnificent journey, and how a biopic came to be made on his remarkably adventurous life.

Excerpts from the interview:

Tell us about your childhood years.

I have fond memories of my village Gorur in Karnataka. My father was a teacher and was greatly influenced by Gandhi, Tagore and our own Shivarama Karanth, so he never put me to school till the fifth standard. He wanted me to learn at home and learn from nature. He used to take me to the river, where I learnt swimming. My father would take me for a walk in the morning and again in the evening in the paddy fields. And as we went along, he would show me the farmers who ploughed their land and sang as they worked. This way, he instilled a love of nature in me. He would never show me the life of the rich, but that of the Dalits and the poor. He taught me that you don’t have to be rich to be happy. I went to a Kannada medium school and studied there till the seventh standard. I later went to Sainik School which eventually prepares you to take the competitive UPSC exam that admits you to the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy. I was commissioned into the Indian Army.

What was life like in the army, and why did you quit?

I spent 16 years glorious years — eight in military schools and academies and eight serving at various locations. The army is the most secular of all institutions and the least corrupt of them all. It was a good life, but I yearned to do something beyond my life in the army and I realised I could discover what I wanted to do only if I left the confines of the army. So at 28, I returned to my village to take up farming.

What gave you the courage to plunge into the airline business when it was dominated by big companies?

I had travelled the world and seen how businesses, small and big operate. When I took to agriculture, I introduced many innovations which won me appreciation and recognition across the globe. But I wanted to do much more. On a visit to China, I discovered it had embraced capitalism. The Russian communist state had collapsed and India could not remain in isolation. There were pilots and engineers here without jobs and I realised there wasn’t a single helicopter company in the South. With no competition, my dream helicopter service could actually work. I firmly believed that a dream, combined with commitment and passion, has a way of taking you to the skies, both literally and metaphorically. My friend Capt Samuel, an outstanding pilot and leader, and I started Deccan Aviation with whatever little savings we had. It took us three years to get our licence to start Deccan Helicopter charters. And we eventually launched the low-cost airline Air Deccan for the common man. I was also fortunate to have two other ex-buddies, Col Poovaiah and Col Vishnu Rawal, who were the backbone of the company.

Girish Karnad was one of those who evinced interest in turning your autobiography ‘Simply Fly’ into a movie...

I knew him very well. He once told me that he had read my book, ‘Simply Fly,’ and that it made for a great cinematic canvas. I somehow had a natural disinclination because if movies are not made properly, they become flippant. I was shy of it. The second time, he again came and asked for the film rights, saying he would put on the grease paint if necessary. That was two years before he died. I wish he were alive because he would have been part of the movie. Later, a few months before he died, I got a call from producer Guneet Monga. After a series of discussions, and a meeting with director Sudha Kongara, I agreed to part with the film rights. I gave them creative liberty, but on the condition that they stay true to the essence of the book, that perennial enthusiasm, persistence and hard work always triumphs over adversity.

Any regrets the film was not made in Kannada?

I am a Kannadiga. I write and speak Kannada, so I wish some Kannada director or producer had come forward to make the film. I would have given it to them without batting an eyelid. The book got translated into Kannada and was very well received. I remember after my interview with actor Ramesh on ‘Weekend with Ramesh’, I was asked about my book wherever I went in Karnataka. Even now, if Kannada producers are willing to make a movie, they could, without repeating what is shown in ‘Soorari Pottru.’ The book has scores of adventurous stories.

With all the ups and down in your life. How do you stay positive?

In tough times, the only way to come out of it is through optimism, which is a duty rather than a choice. In times of adversity, we have to rise above petty differences with a larger magnanimity.

(To listen to the full interview, log onto https://bit.ly/2Ikz52k)