Glad that directors want to see me in different roles: Diganth

Express News Service

Diganth celebrated his birthday on Tuesday, and his fans wished him ‘Huttu Habbada Subhashayagalu‘, which means Happy Birthday in Kannada. Incidentally, it is also the title of the actor’s upcoming film, which is slated to release on December 31. The New Indian Express caught up with the actor, who spoke in detail about the suspense thriller.

“I have been working on Huttu Habbada Subhashayagalu for two years now. Each time a poster of the film was released, people would wish me thinking it was my birthday, and I kept clarifying to them that it is the film’s title. I don’t mind these wishes even post the release,” he chuckles.

Huttu Habbada Subhashayagalu is a suspense thriller about a murder at a birthday party. Diganth, who is often seen in rom-com subjects, wanted to break out the mold, and he is glad it is happening with this film.

“This is a good genre to add to my profile. This will also be new to my fans. One will know why the director chose me for the role while watching the film,” Diganth says and adds that the film has him playing a serious character in a comical situation.

Diganth is glad that directors are wanting to cast him in different genres and roles. “There has been an effort from my end too, and I am picking up characters that require me to perform. And one such film is Huttu Habbada Subhashayagalu. There’s a variety of roles on my platter, which will be seen in my other upcoming films like Gaalipata 2, MariGold, and Thimmaya and Thimmayya,” says Diganth.

“With Huttu Habbada Subhashayagalu and other upcoming films, I want to prove to them that I can do characters other than being a lover-boy. I am confident it will be accepted,” he says.

Talking about debutant director Nagaraj Bethur, he says, “I enjoy working with newcomers and fresh talents, as they come with excitement. I’ve seen them putting in a lot of creativity right in their first film. Nagaraj also came across as a talented guy with the kind of subject he wanted to explore. I gave a green signal to the first script he narrated me.”

Produced by Crystaal Paark Cinemas, Huttu Habbada Subhashayagalu, will be released in Kannada in theatres. On other hand, it will be released in multiple languages on an OTT platform. “The production house, who want to prevent piracy, have taken the  decision of releasing the Kannada version in theatres and the other language versions on OTT,” he says.

I don’t differentiate between TV and cinema: Kavitha Gowda

Huttu Habbada Subhashayagalu has Kavitha Gowda sharing screen space with actor Diganth for the first time. Talking about the film, she says, “I was the last one to be added to the cast of Huttu Habbada Subhashayagalu. I was surprised and happy to be accepted.” According to her, this is a film, which has importance to both hero and heroine. “It is a story narrated through various characters,” Kavitha tells us.

Kavitha Gowda is a popular dancer and a known face on the small screen, who has now made a mark in cinema. Talking about the difference in the medium, she says, “I don’t differentiate between TV and cinema. Both are beautiful journeys.”

“However, the characters I chose for films are in contrast to what I played in serials, and one such example is Huttu Habbada Subhashayagalu. Also, a character we play in a film might become a watershed moment in our career. I am an actor and want to explore all kinds of roles. Even a character of negative traits will be of interest to me,” she says.

Diganth comes across as a potential actor: Director Nagaraj Bethru

Nagaraj Bethru, who is making his directorial debut with Huttu Habbada Subhashayagalu, says, “I wanted to kickstart my journey with a suspense thriller. It was a small thought, which shaped to become a big picture. I was looking for a good actor and Diganth came to my mind. I have been following him for a long time and realised that he has only been part of rom-com. For me, he comes across as a potential actor and wondered why filmmakers are not trying to fit him in other characters. So, I decided to take that step. Gladly, Diganth too responded well.”