Remake with a twist

Director Krishna Verma remakes Jandhyala’s ‘Nalugu Sthambhalata’ with a few changes

May 27, 2015 08:17 pm | Updated 08:17 pm IST

ON THE SETS Krishna Verma at work.l

ON THE SETS Krishna Verma at work.l

Krishna Verma who had directed Play three and a half years back is coming up with his next film Jandhyala Rasina Premakatha with newcomers. A remake of Jandhyala’s Nalugu Sthambhalata (1982), that had Naresh, Pradeep, Poornima, Tulasi and Rohini, the remake has a few changes in setting and story.

Verma’s story takes place in Malaysia instead of Visakhapatanam. And instead of the college backdrop, the remake features characters working in a hotel as manager, chef, playboy and a righteous man respectively

. One of the heroines (Tulasi in the original) is the hotel chairman and is head over heels in love with the hero but the latter uses her money for enjoyment. In the remake, Srilakshmi who playsPoornima’s part is an event manager.

The director explains why he felt the need to make changes in the old blockbuster movie. He felt the climax in Nalugu Sthambhalata was not right. He says, “In Jandhyala’s story Naresh makes the mistake but Poornima dies, Pradeep who supports Poornima stays single. I wanted to cash in on Jandhyala’s name in the title and sought his wife’s permission. She agreed and liked the story too.”

So in the remake the pregnant heroine is neither remorseful nor weak, she is not someone who would commit suicide. She is a mature character and chooses to punish the man by opting out of the relationship. He says, “My heroine says she cannot travel and live a life with sexually minded people, so Naresh’s character stays single.”

Krishna Verma worked in Lakshmi and Lakshyam as assistant director. His actors in this film are a mixed bag. Dileep hails from Vijayawada, Shekar has worked in two Kannada films, Sri Lakshmi had acted in his debut film Play and Gayatri Gupta has acted in Bandook which is yet to hit the screen. Two songs are to be shot and the film is being made on a shoestring budget.

Asked if he is prepared to face the criticism for making quite a few changes to a blockbuster movie, he says, “I may not make a greater film than the original but I can assure you I will not spoil its reputation. Thirty years ago Jandhyala wanted to unite a couple just because they had a physical relationship before marriage. I differ with his views. I feel those who have just lust on their mind and have no courage to stand by a woman, have to be punished and not rewarded with a partner and a child.”

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