“If I only wanted to recreate the success of America America, I wouldn’t have waited this long,” says Nagathihalli. “I had opportunities to make a sequel over the years, but I never wanted to. Only when this story came to me did the title feel right. People may think it’s a business strategy, but the title suited the story.”
However, the director says the similarities end there. “Except for Mano Murthy, Rajesh Krishnan and me, nobody from America America is part of this film. It is not a continuation of the characters of Surya, Chandra or Bhoomi. This is a completely different story. The only common thread is that both are love triangles.”
For Nagathihalli, this is his third film shot in the United States, but unlike the original, which travelled across America, the new film stays largely in Seattle. “America is one of the most film-friendly countries because of its infrastructure. It has become more expensive now, but Seattle isn’t just a location here; it becomes a character.”
Known for romances, Nagathihalli says love stories have never been limited to foreign backdrops. “Many of the romantic stories I have written and directed that readers and viewers still remember are set within Karnataka. New stories always rise from old stories. Love remains evergreen, but every generation tells it differently.”