Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa will now be seen on the silver screen as he does a cameo in a Kannada film called Tanuja. Directed by award-winning Kannada filmmaker Harish MD Halli, it also has Karnataka’s health minister Dr K Sudhakar playing a part.
Set to be released on February 5, the film is based on a real-life story of the struggle of a young NEET aspirant, Tanuja, whose story hogged the headlines in 2021, on how a tweet and swift action by then CM Yediyurappa and Sudhakar helped her achieve her dreams.
Saptha Pavoor plays the role of Tanuja while actors Rajesh Nataranga, Kailas, and Sandhya Arekere Los feature in it. Bengaluru-based senior journalist Vishweshwar Bhat, after whose tweet action was taken by Yediyurappa and Sudhakar that helped Tanuja answer her NEET exam, is also playing himself.
The film is produced by Beyond Visions Cinemas and it has been shot in various locations across Shivamogga and Bengaluru. The project was completed six months ago.
Who is the real Tanuja? The daughter of a farmer from Shivamogga’s Shikaripura, the young girl had dreams of becoming a surgeon. The student of Navodaya School was on the verge of losing her chance to become one. She was unable to write the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) on the first go.
On September 13, 2021, the young medical aspirant developed Covid-19 symptoms, and her house was sealed and declared a containment zone.
Shikaripura is also Yediyurappa’s hometown and the constituency he has been elected from.
Journalist Vishweshwar Bhat tweeted her post based on information from an official, tagging Yediyurappa (then chief minister) and Dr K Sudhakar (health minister). Both leaders took immediate note of Tanuja’s plea and plight and sought permission from officials in Delhi as well as in the state to allow her to appear for a re-examination.
“It all happened within 12 or 13 hours of highlighting Tanuja’s plight in my tweet which played an important role. The entire film is based on the events that unfolded in those hours,” Bhat told News18.
Another hurdle appeared when Tanuja intended to appear for a re-examination. Due to Covid restrictions on movement, she was not able to file her documentation on time. Tanuja had almost given up, had it not been for the intervention of the leaders and the journalist.
“She had to answer the re-exam at 1.30 pm in Bengaluru, and for that, she had to leave Shikaripura very early in the morning. She had to appear for the exam on the same day or lose her only chance. For that, I requested Yediyurappa to intervene and he spoke to officials in Delhi. She reached the exam hall exactly at 1.30 pm and was allowed to answer her test,” Bhat said.
Sudhakar concurrently talked to the joint director of NEET and helped her write the exam, News18 has learned.
Tanuja not only cleared NEET, but she scored 586 out of 720, making her parents and her benefactors very proud.
Yediyurappa was so comfortable in front of the camera that he completed delivering his lines in less than 20 minutes when the crew had allotted two hours, and the shooting of his part was wrapped up. The former CM has four to five dialogues in the film.
So how did Yediyurappa get convinced, as until this project he had refused every offer of acting in films? The crew called it a difficult task.
“I told him that every day he faces 50 or more cameras. Here it would be just 4 cameras. This movie was all about Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, and he said yes,” replied, Bhat with a laugh.
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