India, July 31 -- IT TOOK RAJ B SHETTY exactly a week after the first paid premiere of his production Su From So at Bharath Cinemas in Mangaluru to catch up on much-needed sleep. The comedy drama with a hint of horror, directed by writer and theatre director JP Thuminad, is on a rampage at the Kannada box office. And it began in a theatre complex that Raj considers his "mother's home." He's written scripts there in the food court, undisturbed for days, because, "in Mangalore, there's glorious anonymity. Nobody bothers you".

Raj, his voice all raspy from the talking, says the team received the greatest gift in the form of unadulterated laughter from the audience. "Can you imagine Mangaluru having 6.45 am shows? I am delighted with this re...