Love in the time of Covid-19: Kannada director Jayanth Seege on his next venture

The lockdown in back and the second wave of COVID-19 has ravaged the Kannada film industry. The show, however, must go on and Jayanth Seege has launched the trailer and a song from his next venture, Love in The Time Of Covid, virtually. Pranava Karanth has written, composed and sung the song, ‘Cellphone Gelathi.’

The film, produced by Jamuna Seege, features Shruti Prakash (former Big Boss contestant), Rakesh Maiya, Apoorva Bharadwaj and Goutham H C. The background score is by Bharath BJ and cinematography is by Pradeep B Reddy.

The romantic comedy makes ample use of the green screen, says Jayanth, who has his own VFX Company, which created the effects for the film. “Since the film is set during the 2020 lockdown, the characters — the protagonists, their parents and friends, are all connected virtually.” The film is shot indoors in keeping with the mood and time the story is set in, says Jayanth.

Love in The Time Of Covid tells the story of two college mates who reconnect on social media during lockdown. “Their friends expect them to end up together, which does not happen. Does the lockdown help rekindle love and take it to the next step forms the crux of the story.”

While admitting there have been films in other languages exploring similar themes, including the Malayalam film CU Soon, Jayanth is confident that this is a first for Kannada cinema.

Jayanth is not sure if the film will get a theatrical release. “The second wave of the pandemic changed everything for cinema. We don’t know what the future holds as there is talk of the third wave. An OTT release looks like a promising option as of now.”

The film is in post-production and should be ready in a couple of months. Speaking of casting, Jayanth says Shruti was not even on his radar. “Apoorva suggested her name and I am glad she came on board. She has done a brilliant job. Though she is based in Mumbai and busy with a series for Sony, she made time for this film. Our narration also happened on video calls.”