Humble and simple producer Jagannath of ‘A’, Hagaluvesha, Surya the Great, Agrahara, Arbhata aged 52 years died on Friday night due to kidney failure. He was taking dialysis treatment for both the kidneys for quite some time but ‘Javaraya’ called him yesterday night.

Producer Jagannath with two others Manjunath and Ramakrishna produced ‘A’ against all odds but none of the three could enjoy the profits of Rs.20 crore businesses done by debut acting of Upendra in his direction ‘A’. Yashraj as the distributor had good fortunes at that time.

Jagannath leaving the company of two of his friends made a film ‘Hagaluvesha’ starring Shivarajakumar in the direction of Prof Baraguru Ramachandrappa that was a period cinema set in the British rule but the film was a washout. He later took up Surya the Great starring Ajay and Agrahara and both put him in deep troubles financially.

Probably worries brought this producer to the doorstep of the hospital. At Sankara Foundation hospital he was treated for kidney failure.

Jagannath looked very pale when he met the media at the briefing of the film Arbhata in the presence of his relative Basavaraj.

Upendra was very busy on his birthday 18th September when the news of death of his life giving producer came to him. He tried to take time from the busy schedule but he could go to pay last respect to Jagannath says Lokesh who is with Upendra from a long time.

Upendra is meeting the family members of Jagannath tomorrow morning disclosed Lokesh.

www.chitratara.com mourns the death of Jagannath with others.

The interview of Jagannath published on 18th of July with Basavaraj and Roopesh at Green House Raj Milan is given again for our surfers:

He put out his worries of those days and it is as follows.

A-2 SEQUEL WITHOUT UPENDRA!

The block buster film of 1999 ‘A’ directed and acted by Upendra his debut as an actor that made nearly 24 crores business (12 as net profit and 12 crores as theatre rent) sequel is getting ready from one of the two producers B Jagannath with his younger brother Dho Basavaraju.

The script work for ‘A-2’ is getting ready but Upendra will not be part of this film. He is untouchable! For the producers of ‘A’ you have to seek the appointment to meet was told by Upendra has irked and made Jagannath and Basavaraju to take up the sequel. For his thinking and whopping budget we cannot afford also says the siblings Jagannath and Basavaraju speaking to a few media persons on Saturday evening after the briefing of ‘Aarbhata’ Kannada film!

Upendra ‘A’ in the sequel will be Roopesh the hero of Agrahara and Aarbhata. The producers of ‘A’ not given up fascination to ‘A’ starting for their title is also noticeable.

It may be recalled it BG Manjunath (not in the scene now) and B Jagannath jointly made ‘A’ Kannada film in 1999 at a budget of Rs.1.25 crores. Producer Jagannath still not yet settled his loan of Rs.5 lakh taken from his sister is the tragedy of his life besides two kidney failure bothering him today.

Recalling the decade history of making of ‘A’ the writers Dr Agni Divya, Hanumanthu, Upendra and two others jointly prepared the script for ‘A’. We thought of superstar Shivarajakumar who was glowing in success from ‘Om’ and ‘Janumadha Jodi’. But Upendra name was suggested for hero role. We thought it right.

Upendra at this point of time said he would work for four more films with BG Manjunath and Jagannath. Upendra signed a letter on a blank paper too. Out of happiness Jagannath said your statement is enough and tore the paper. But when it came to 100 percent tax exemption signature from director Upendra he demanded Rs.30 lakhs. It was Yashraj the distributor who came to our help. Nearly 15 shows of ‘A’ did not give any distributor for it. Finally it was Yashraj helped in taking up the distribution. That has even helped us to meet the demand of Rs.30 lakh demanded by Upendra recalls Jagannath.

For the sequel of ‘A’ we thought Roopesh is the right choice because he has good ability in acting says Jaganath and Dho Basavaraju. Roopesh is our relative and his potentiality in ‘Aarbhata’ made us to pick for ‘A-2’ says the duo producers.

Once the script is ready we will make further selection. We are not for those who worked for ‘A’ in 1999. It was full of newcomers with Upendra making debut as hero – Gurukiran, HC Venu, Chandini….were all debutants.

So we are doing A-2 also with newcomers. It was Buddivantharige Maathra….but we are making ‘Daddaru Nodabahudaada Chitra’….we have some more captions says Basavaraju who is in to silk export business.

Meanwhile the health of B Jagannath is deteriorating. His two kidneys are not functioning. He is taking treatment at Shankara Hospital of Shankar Math. Two days in a week Jagannath is undergoing dialysis. What is Rs.2000 per sitting of dialysis is Rs.500 at Shankarmath Hospital Jagannath feels relieved.

How can the audience think of ‘A-2’ without Upendra? We will make the audience to come to theatre. That is our strength that is building up slowly says Basavaraju.

The ancestors of Jagannath and Basavaraju are the producer of ‘Ranganayaki’, Hagaluvesha and of course ‘A’ is produced by Jagannath and Manjunath. Basavaraj was behind all these films making as he was government servant in the export department. The same Basavaraj the owner of 500 weaving units is just doing export of silk as of now taking VRS from government job.

In retaliation to ‘A’ Kannada film Praveen Naik the photo journalist made ‘Z’ in those days that did not click. Now for alleged ill treatment by Upendra to producers ‘Jagannath and Basavaraj’ ‘A-2’ is taken up.