Filmmaker gives real-life makeover to beggar

Guruprasad is known as an eccentric filmmaker in the industry, so maybe it wouldn't come as a surprise that in real life too he is not any different.Take, for example, his recent escapade in which he asked a 'mental patient' begging on the streets of Gokarna to do a part in his new film, and then went on to change this man's life with a makeover and a job.
While shooting for his film Eradane Sala in Gokarna last week, the filmmaker realised he needed an actor for a cameo -the role of a `mental patient' who wanders the streets.That's when he found KR Muttanna, a vagabond in the temple town, and invited him to act in his film. 'It was a small role in which a mentally unstable man laughs at the `heroine' who is upset about her love affair. The scene tries to show how both are suffering from the same kind of illness. I did not want a real actor for the part because I wanted to make it look as real as possible. I had noticed this guy on the streets and we called him to act. I was worried how he would behave. But it turned out that he was an amazing actor and a very good person. I gave him some money,' Guruprasad told Mirror.
But this was only the beginning. 'The guy came back after some time with good wishes. `Let your film celebrate 100 days in all centres,' he said. The way he said that in Kannada made me realise he was not completely lost. We started talking and it went on for two hours,' recalls Guruprasad.
The director found out that Muttanna had watched his father die in an accident, and that put him in a shock. He became people started calling him 'mental', he began to believe them. 'All he needed was psychological counselling, a little treatment and for people to treat him like a human being.He has a little mental imbalance as he has lost memory of his past life,' the director said.
Guruprasad then took it upon himself to give Muttanna a decent life.'Maybe he had not had a bath in years. We gave him a haircut, a shave and a bath.In some decent clothes after years, the change was unbelievable. I asked him if he would work. He said, yes. Muttanna is also a good singer.' Muttanna does not remem ber much from his previous life or where he is from or even his age. Guruprasad guesses his father died about seven or eight years ago. The director believes that society's ill-treatment made him the way he was. 'I am getting him treated now. Although I don't need a security guard at my office in Bengaluru, Muttanna has accepted the offer to become one. My aim is to get him integrated into society so that he can manage on his own soon,' said Guruprasad. Guruprasad and the crew of his film brought Muttanna to Bengaluru from Gokarna. The story came to light after his friends started posting photos of the director with Muttanna and everyone started wondering who the new `actor' was.