Director's Cut

Two Questions…

// July 2nd, 2008 // 4 Comments » // Trivia

It is three weeks since the National awards have been announced my phone is still ringing.. few still congratulating me… but it is mostly the near and dear ones calling to ask..

Are you getting any calls from producers?

What is your next film going to be? Again an award film or a commercial film..?

My answer is.. No… Things don’t work like that here in this (TOLLYWOOD) industry!!! Art film maker or an award film maker, you are still an untouchable till you give a commercial hit. And I am aware of the reality

I never ever expected that producers will call me if I get an award. So it is not surprising or disappointing that they have not called me after I got THE AWARD.

The Award will only help me approach them little more easily, than before. That is exactly how things are with me these days.

And the Second Question….

What is my next film…?

The answer is obvious, definitely a commercial film, this time I want the producer to get back his money (not that my earlier film “hope” didn’t fetch money, it will get more than that was spent, without a release). I have two scripts ready, one a thriller and another film based on music.

The film based on music is very close to my heart and I wish to dedicate this film to my gurus Mr.K.Vishwanth and Maestro Ilaiyaraja. I wish this film happens first.

Of the two scripts which one will come out first on screen only time will tell.

The National Award

// June 24th, 2008 // No Comments » // Hope, Trivia

It feels great to say I said it and I achieved it, “The National Award”. The cell phone has not stopped ringing.  well wishers are congratulating. The fact that I got “The National Award” has still not sunk in…But looking back had I not got the National award what would my fate had been..

After two days of the announcement of the award, a friend of mine sent me a statistics and said that what you have achieved is really special… a Telugu film getting a national level award after 18 long years. And the only people to achieve this fete were the legends, Mr. K Balachander for “Rudra Veena”  and Mr. K. Vishwanath for“Saptapadi”  in 1989… it feels great.. But no comparison what so ever, I am in the list of those names, period nothing more.

The responses to the award and the film were very positive. In retrospect was the film really great, did it deserve an award? Yes it was definitely a great subject , an important subject, a subject of the hour. I knew if this subject is dealt well in the festival format, then the film will surely get a award. And I thought I did a decent enough job with the script, screenplay and direction.

I deserve the award..

I want to thank each and every person associated with the making of this film “hope”.

Haranath policherla for producing, Aveena gudapati for helping me with the subject, Dr.D.Ramanaidu for believing in me and agreeing to act in the film, Maestro Ilaiyaraja for the Music. The cast and crew of the film, my friends who supported me.