Y.Sunita Chowdhary
Screenplay writer Chakravarthy worked for Balupu, Power, Jai Lava Kusa. He directed Pantham and post that was approaching heroes with different scripts. Meanwhile diretor Bobby Kolli got this project and he told Chakravarthy to join the team for screenplay and Chakravarthy didn’t think twice. As a screenplay writer, Chakravarthy along with Kona and Bobby did the screenplay of the film. He tells Klapboardpost.com that one might achieve anything here but working for Boss is a dream of every writer, you are happy being a part of his project. He also directed a web series Puli Meka starring Aadi Saikumar and Lavanya Tripathi and it will stream from February. It is a Zee5 Original produced along with Kona Film Corporation. Excerpts from the conversation:
Are people back to enjoying commercial cinema?
During the pandemic, we had this confusion. We thought the audience mindset has changed as world cinema is within the reach of people. The team is a die hard fan of Chiranjeevi and we all wanted to see him in that zone and also people were asking vintage Chiranjeevi back. The fans are exhilarated that we played to his strengths.
Why was the script not okayed in the first narration?
He has worked in 154 films, he knows what works, what doesn’t and what should be aimed at the galleries. He has fantastic knowledge of the script and he would give us inputs and point out grey areas and we would re-work. His guidance was so helpful, it made us confident and stress free. Whatever the little corrections we did, that is…the refinement of script, something pointed out was considered. He was busy with three films and during this stage we would get back to him on the suggestions. Before the schedule we would narrate shoot papers and he would give a thumbs up. Once shoot started, he took the acting to the next level but never interfered with the script.
Any pressure working with the megastar?
As fans we were elated to work with megastar. It was a great opportunity and we were focussing on the script and how we wish to see him. He was encouraging and gave us positive vibes. He guided us throughout and we took his valuable inputs and you are seeing the results. Vikram’s entry (Ravi Teja) took the film to a next level. We were involved in the script and felt sad that Ravi Teja’s character was getting bumped off. Everytime we saw that scene in the Avid, we had tears.
On Ravi Teja’s entry
When you are narrating a story, we have to give them a hint that there is another layer to the story. The people might not be comfy if the character suddenly steps in ..in the second half. That is the screenplay format, we can’t shock the audience, we have to prepare them for another layer much earlier which is why we had Chiranjeevi commenting on Catherine Tressa in the first half of the film.
Your impression of Megastar’s action scenes?
Be it Gang Leader or Chudalani Vundi, a lot of action blocks are part of this film. Here too, he did the introduction fight without dupes on the boat and is always on time on the location. If someone has to leave early, he would tell the director to shoot their scenes first. He would shuttle between Poonakalu loading songs because Ravi Teja had given dates and it had to be used and then night shoot was for the boat fight. He would say I’ll carry my dinner and eat in the car, ready with the action scene. He is always thinking of the cinema, his hard work and passion for his craft is incredible.
Ravi Teja’s accent and the climax scene
As writers we recalled the vertigo problem and summed it up in the climax, rest of the things is a directorial call. After watching Ravi Teja in his original style umpteen times, watching him speak Telangana dialect must have been surprising. That was done intentionally because we wanted to bring out the cultural differences in the family. A slight variation was needed so the step mother also speaks Telangana. Both the mothers are from different regions.
Writer’s block when so many changes take place
I am a die hard fan of Shankar, he always said that we should go by our first instinct. That will be the audience reaction even after three years ; also even though there is an enhancement in the scenes or postponement of the film shoot or release.
When did the shoot begin?
We began in 2020, before Covid, Bobby narrated it to Chiranjeevi and it was a forty minute line. Then he asked us to develop and wave one and wave two happened. He was then shuttling between Acharya, Godfather and Bhola Shankar. When two of the films were released, Chiranjeevi came here and at a stretch began shooting.
