J.D. Chekravarthy shares some similarities with his mentor Ram Gopal Varma when it comes to scripting stories on ghosts and goons but is markedly different from him in other aspects. He is too orthodox to do a film like Nishabdh and says he would never direct a film like Appalraju. He doesn't feel that Appalraju is a wrong film to make but believes that even if the intention is right, he is uncomfortable pulling down people in the guise of a spoof.
Unlike Varma who is a workaholic and doesn't believe in family time, Chekri says he is emotional and nothing in the world can stop him from coming home at 7.30 p.m. for his mother.
Have Varma and Chekri closed shop in Mumbai, and why isn't Chekri working in Varma's films anymore? Chekri stays politically correct and says sometimes their films do good business and sometimes they don't, they are here to sell films, whether people buy or not is a different issue. Mulling over the second part of the question, he quips, “I think I have been associated with Ramu garu only for his successful films or the films he made with me were successful.” He also explains that people have a definite image and perception of Varma since he is more in the eye of the media these days. Chekri feels Varma has been the same since the time he had known him.
Unlike his contemporaries, Chekri is not on Twitter and Facebook and declares that he abhors the 24-hour surveillance by strangers on his status and doesn't want people to know anything about him. On his forthcoming film Money Money More Money, Chekri says he used the title of the prequel in the sequel for the recall value, but the new film has an independent story. Expect to see a few actors from the original like Brahmanandam and Brahmaji.
Meeting people's expectations with a sequel is tough but Chekri discloses how the unit freaked out weaving one scene after another for the story. He gives us a sneak peek into the film that has 36 actors. Khan Dada (Brahmanandam), a black-belt holder, is a married man with two kids and a mother-in-law. His life takes a turn when the people, four of them who took him for a ride, return to stay at his place not knowing that it belongs to him. Shooting with Brahmanandam was a pleasure as the actor surprised Chekri with his attitude, innovative performance and flexibility, helping him wrap up the film in 24 days. “The film doesn't run on him but he is vital for the story; without him the magic would be missing,” says Chekri.
“I was tempted to have songs that go against Bhadram Be Careful Brotheru and Vareva Yemi Face but later I wondered if I am trying to fit into old clothes; it took me some time to decide but there is one song on Brahmanandam,” says Chekri. Success to him is doing what he wants to do at that given point of time. There are times he would say ‘cut' and would continue laughing and adds that there are no item songs in the film, as his film itself is an item. With that kind of input, movie buffs are raring to see this Kadha , screenplay , darsakatvam by JD Chekravarthy.
