A new role for Vishnuvardhan

Kumar of Gandhada Gudi, Dr Harish of Bandhana, Ramachari of Nagarahaavu, and now, Sahasa Simha, comic hero, brought to life by Amar Chitra Katha.
Vishnuvardhan, who starred in a movie by the same name, plays a detective in the comic series.
Conceptualized by actor Anirudh, who is also son-in-law of Vishnuvardhan, the comic series is said to be the first of its kind in South India, with Vishnuvardhan and Bharathi Vishnuvardhan as the protagonists of the story.“The concept of the series is that Vishnuvardhan has risen from the ashes and come back in the avatar of detective Sahasa Simha. It’s an effort to make Vishnuvardhan reach the new generation. He is assisted by his two grandchildren, Jyesta and Shloka, in solving different mysteries and helping the people stuck in crisis situations come out of it successfully,” says Anirudh.
Vishnuvardhan, who made his debut as a hero through the Kannada movie Nagarahaavu directed by late Puttanna Kanagal, has to his credit over 200 movies with roles such as loverboy, mythological characters, action hero, and also a college boy. The actor passed away four years ago, but some of his movies still run to packed houses.
Keerthi, Vishnuvardhan’s daughter and publisher of the comic, believes that the younger generation is very tech-savvy, intelligent and creative. “It is important to sensitise children to social issues and motivate them to be helpful to those less fortunate than them. They should also be aware of the agencies that work towards empowering the unfortunate and know how to contact them if needed. On the other hand, it is the responsibility of the adults to teach children to look beyond their own interests and use their knowledge and skills for the best interest of society. But, instead of taking a preachy angle, we thought a better approach to do it would be to say it through detective stories. The Sahasa Simha Comics series was conceptualized to entertain both the adults and the children and motivate them.”
Reena Puri, editor, Amar Chitra Katha, says The Jungle Adventure is the second book in the detective Sahasa Simha series. ‘‘It is a 32-page comic, which has been scripted by Sahil Rizwan, illustrated by Dilip Kadam, and coloured by Adarsh Achari and C. Ramesh. This detective series is a tribute to the legendary actor, and is another way to keep him alive in the minds of his fans.”
The thespian was known for his philanthropy and involvement in various causes. The comics have him as a detective who solves cases that highlight different issues, says Puri.
She adds that the new comic focuses on two environment-related issues – degradation of forests and the condition of street dogs. “We worked closely with Poornima Harish of the NGO Samarpan to understand the role of street dogs in human settlements. This is a different experience for us in Amar Chitra Katha. We were creating something that dealt with current concerns. Drawing Vishnuvardhan was a challenge since his face is recognised and loved by millions of his fans, so there was no room for errors. It was good fun,’’ says Puri.