Playback singer Naveen Sajju at the premiere of his debut film as hero Lo Naveen in Mysuru on Thursday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Playback singer-music director Naveen Sajju’s acting debut, Lo Naveen, premiered at a Mysuru multiplex on Thursday night and received a thumbs up from the audience, which included his friends and supporters.
Shot mostly in rural settings in and around his native Ballekere village in Srirangapatna taluk near Mysuru, the film captures village life, its people and their daily routines with authenticity. It also combines pure comedy with romance to entertain and amuse the audience.
Ms. Varsha Giridhar, the techie actress who plays opposite Naveen fits comfortably in the rural setting, while most of the supporting actors seem to be hand-picked from the villages for their specific roles.
Naveen’s friends and their antics in the film are relatable not only to today’s youth but also to earlier generations. The cinematography captures the rural atmosphere – be it a cattle shed, a temple or a village house – in an unvarnished way. Also the Kannada dialect is undoubtedly one of the rural parts of Mandy and surrounding areas.
Around three years after the release of Orchestra Mysuru – a film said to be inspired by his struggles as a singer – Lo Naveena is being described as the culmination of Naveen Sajju’s acting dreams.
Senior theater personality Suguna MM of Niranthara Foundation said that Naveen was struck by the bug when he was young. He began his singing career after a long struggle to find opportunities in orchestras that performed by the roadside during festivals and other occasions in Mysore.
He later rose to fame as a singer in the Kannada film industry with his earthy voice in the soundtrack of several films. However, his interest in acting led him to the theater activities of the Niranthara Foundation in Mysuru. After participating in several plays and honing his acting skills, Naveen has now ventured into acting, Mr. Suguna said.
Naveen, who was present at the premiere along with the rest of the cast and director Dhanurdhari Pavan, said that feedback from the Mysuru audience is very important to him as he grew up in the city and started his singing career in orchestras.
“If the audience likes it in Mysuru, I think I will win in the rest of Karnataka as well,” remarked Mr. Naveen.
Published – 15 May 2026 19:01 IST
