Caste and social commentary to take center stage in Jai Prakash Reddy’s 'Karki'

Jai Prakash Reddy, affectionately known as JP, began his journey in filmmaking as a child artist in director K Balachander’s Kannada film Sundara Swapnagalu (1986), which starred Ramesh Aravind in the lead role. After this early experience, he took a brief hiatus to focus on his education, pursuing an LLB while actively participating in college cultural activities. His big break came with the film Whatsapp Love (2019), where he stepped into the spotlight as a hero.

Having recently completed filming for Raja Rani, JP is now gearing up for the release of Karki, which is set to hit theatres this week. Talking about his challenging path as a child artist, he admits, “Getting a foothold was not easy. I had commitments and had to prove myself.



But everyone has a dream, and I wanted to see myself on the big screen, which I have been chasing. Finally, it is coming true.” Karki, directed by veteran filmmaker Pavithran, draws inspiration from the Tamil hit Pariyerum Perumal (2018), directed by Mari Selvaraj.

JP explains that the film’s central theme revolves around the role of a lawyer, conveying the message that hard work, regardless of caste, leads to success. The film tackles three major points: class struggle, love, and social commentary. One unique aspect of Karki is the strong bond between humans and animals, with a dog playing a pivotal role in the story.

JP adds, “If ten people watch, four can connect with my character.” The cast includes Meenakshi as the female lead, with Sadhu Kokila, Bala Rajwadi, Yathiraj, Mimicry Gopi, Swathi, and Savitha playing pivotal roles. Karki is produced by Prakash Palani under the banner of Third Eye Media.

JP shares that Palani is a big fan of Dr Rajkumar and that Karki marks his first production venture after having produced and distributed 20 films mostly in Tamil. “He even gave his creative inputs to Karki,” JP concludes. With its compelling themes and engaging performances, Karki promises to be an exciting addition to the Kannada film landscape.

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