The Kempe Gowda fever is gripping a large number of fans of Sudeep as well as the trade circles in Sandalwood. There has never been such a great level of expectancy seen for any Kannada film other than Kempe Gowda after the release of Puneet Raj Kumar's Jackie and Upendra's Super. Yes, Mylari was a big hit, but somehow the trade was not all that hopeful that the film would ultimately reach the levels of success that it has achieved now. But in the case of films like Jackie and Super, the expectations of the trade has been met with a huge audience response.
Will Sudeep directed Kempe Gowda create the same magic as Jackie and Super? For one thing, the cost of production of KG is much lesser than that of Jackie or Super which were essentially made with a huge star cast and best technical crew. Even Sudeep's technical crew has been known for its superlative work in films The film industry sources say that the total cost of this film will be much lesser thanRs. 5 crores excluding Sudeep's remuneration.
Sudeep's fans believe that their favourite actor will not disappoint and the history will repeat now following the success of Veera Madakari and My Autograph. The distributors who have purchased the rights of the film without seeing a single frame of the film trust the charismatic appeal of Sudeep and also his talents as a director.
For one thing, the trade has responded very positively about the film by offering fancy prices for the film for the distribution areas.
Never has been any Sudeep film sold for such huge prices before its release. Already the distribution rights has been sold to around Rs. 6.5 crores which is the highest in case of Sudeep's film. Add to this another Rs. 2 crores from satellite and audio rights which means that Shankare Gowda is already sitting pretty with around Rs. 2 to Rs. 3 crores profits even before the Kannada film viewers have got an opportunity to see the film.
The chances are that he will be making more money in the event of the film becoming a big hit in theatres.
The Mysore distribution area and Norther Karnataka areas have fetched Rs. 1.01 crore distribution rights while the Chtiradurga-Bellary- Davanagere and Shimoga-Chickmagalur distributors has paid an advance of Rs. 75 lacs for securing the rights of the film. The Hyderabad Karnataka rights have been sold for Rs. 30 lacs. Already the Bengaluru, Kolar, Tumkur, Chickballapur distribution area rights have been acquired by distributor Bahsa for Rs. 2 crore advance, which means Shanakare Gowda will benefit largely if the film becomes a super hit.
The trade's huge response is also surprising because Kempe Gowda is getting released in a really freighteningly inconvenient time when World Cup matches are in full swing and the final
Examination period has become a big threat for the film industry. When almost all the film producers in Bollywood and the other southern film industries have decided to release their big budget films after the conclusion of World Cup matches and Examination period, there has been this case of Shankare Gowda and his team of distributors trusting the capabilities of actor-director Sudeep in delivering big hits.
Trade circles say that the confidence of trade is something to do with the huge success of Sudeep directed films like My Autograph and Veera Madakari. Kempe Gowda is the remake of Tamil Hit Singam, but somehow Sudeep's fans and the distributors have discounted this aspect and largely hoping for the film's huge success.
