Why Vishnuvardhan played the villain opposite Dr Rajkumar in Gandhadha Gudi: The untold story behind the casting decision

Vishnuvardhan played the villain in Gandhadha Gudi opposite Dr Rajkumar, a decision explained by producer MP Shankar. However, behind-the-scenes tensions and fan backlash turned a reel-life role into a real-life struggle for Vishnu. 

Dr Rajkumar and Vishnuvardhan are both celebrated actors in Kannada cinema, but their careers spanned different eras. By the time Vishnuvardhan entered the industry, Dr Rajkumar had already completed 150 films. Despite the significant age gap between them, comparisons between the two actors were inevitable, leading to heated debates among their fans and audiences. While there was never any real rivalry between Dr Rajkumar and Vishnuvardhan, their fans often found themselves at odds, creating tensions. This is something both the actors and the older generation, who lived through that time, can attest to.

Actor Vishnuvardhan, who had already established himself as a star in Kannada cinema with the film Nagarahavu, could have easily been cast as the hero in the film Gandhadha Gudi. However, it was Dr Rajkumar who was chosen for the lead role, while Vishnuvardhan was selected to play the villain. When journalists questioned the decision, the producer of the film, MP Shankar, provided an explanation. Here's what he had to say.

At that time, MP Shankar, the producer of Gandhadha Gudi, was asked at a press conference, "Why did Dr Rajkumar become the hero of your film? Couldn't you have given a chance to the rising star Vishnuvardhan or even a newcomer?"

Without hesitation, MP Shankar explained, "While we were writing the story for Gandhadha Gudi, we decided that Dr Rajkumar was the perfect fit for the role. The lead actors were already chosen. Vishnuvardhan had just entered the industry and was still quite young. However, the villain's role required someone youthful and energetic, and that's why Vishnuvardhan was selected for that part."

The reason why Vishnuvardhan wasn’t made the hero in the film Gandhadha Gudi, as explained by the producer himself, is already known. However, there is another version of the story that only a few people from that time still talk about. According to them, Vishnuvardhan was deliberately cast as the villain opposite Dr Rajkumar. Many believe this was done with the intention of preventing Vishnuvardhan, an emerging talent in the Kannada film industry, from becoming a potential alternative hero to Dr Rajkumar.

Some people in the film industry at the time, including renowned director Puttanna Kanagal, had advised Vishnuvardhan not to take on a villain role opposite Dr Rajkumar. However, being new to the industry, Vishnuvardhan lacked the maturity and experience to make such strategic career choices. Despite the warnings, he went ahead and played the antagonist in Gandhadha Gudi. Unfortunately, many of Dr Rajkumar’s fans, unable to distinguish between the on-screen character and the actor, began to view Vishnuvardhan as an actual rival or enemy of Annavru (Dr Rajkumar).

Additionally, the controversy surrounding the real gunshot that was accidentally fired at Dr Rajkumar during the shooting of Gandhadha Gudi further dragged actor Vishnuvardhan into unwanted trouble. Despite having no direct connection to the incident, he became entangled in a web of misunderstandings and suspicion. As a result, Vishnuvardhan faced resentment from Dr Rajkumar’s fans for the rest of his life, both for portraying the villain in the film and for the controversy that followed. An actor who simply played a role on screen but suffered in real life.