When PVP Cinemas announced its next film Evaru starring Adivi Sesh and Regina Cassandra, and the first look poster was unveiled a few weeks ago, it took people by surprise on social media. For, it was well known that Sesh is working on two big projects — Goodachari 2 and the Hindi-Telugu bilingual Major , which is co-produced by Mahesh Babu and Sony Pictures, narrating the story of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan who fought a valiant battle during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
But Evaru was a project not many had heard of, even within film industry circles. Its making was a closely-guarded secret. Speaking to MetroPlus late one evening in between post-production, Adivi Sesh says, “We wanted to keep the key twists and conflict points under wraps. We (the production house and the team) decided not to talk about the project until we were ready to surprise everyone with the teaser and trailer.”
Certainly, the teaser and then the trailer helped raise the intrigue factor of the thriller. The trailer that has garnered more than five million views (and counting) on YouTube, has been trending. As the film gears up for release on August 15, Sesh is confident that “Our film will be the first choice for people here than Hindi and English films.” There’s competition close home from Ranarangam . “I’ve admired (director) Sudheer Varma’s work and have worked with Sharwanand earlier (in Run Raja Run ); I have immense respect for them and wish them the best. I am sure both our projects will do well,” says Sesh.
The preparation for Evaru began a month and a half after the release of Goodachari in 2018. Evaru was shot in Kodaikanal from November 2018 to May 2019, and intermittently in Hyderabad. “The biggest reason for me to do this film was its unpredictability. As someone who co-wrote a suspense drama like Kshanam (2014), when this story was narrated to me, I couldn’t guess what was coming,” says Sesh.
- A mentor: Adivi Sesh considers screenwriter Abburi Ravi as his guru: “He’s been a mentor to me, his work gave me the big break in Panja and ever since I’ve worked and learned from him.”
- Raising the bar: With Evaru , Sesh feels composer Sricharan Pakala has raised his game to the next level. Having worked with him in Kshanam and Goodachari , Sesh says, “I would say he’s the best among the young crop of composers today.”
Sesh plays cop Vikram Vasudev, who is supposedly corrupt. But as the trailer suggests, his character and that of Regina could be shape-shifters who will reveal their true selves only on the big screen. Evaru also stars Naveen Chandra and Murali Sharma. What’s touted to be an edge of the seat thriller is said to be an official remake of an international film, adapted to suit the Indian context, but Sesh prefers not to talk about it and spoil the intrigue factor.
Evaru marks the directorial debut of Venkat Ramji, who was part of the marketing team of Kshanam . Sesh has known and worked with a few key team members since Kshanam — composer Sricharan Pakala, editor Gary BH, debut cinematographer Vamsi Patchipulusu who was the first assistant of cinematographer Shaneil Deo, among others. “In a way, it felt like I was reunited with the Kshanam team,” says Sesh. The coming together of a known team with mutual trust helped keep the making of Evaru under wraps.
Sesh co-wrote Kshanam and Goodachari , and will again don the writer’s hat for Goodachari 2 and Major , and Evaru is a project where he’s content to only be the actor. Yet, he found himself being drawn into helping with post-production. “Since we all know each other, the work is divided between all of us. I could have sat back and said let me only act, but I’ve been relentlessly chipping in with work,” he laughs.
When the conversation moves to Goodachari 2 (to be directed by Rahul Pakala) and Major (to be directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka), Sesh says these are mammoth projects. While the script for the former is in the works, the latter is ready. “Major will be a true homage to Sandeep Unnikrishnan,” is all that he will reveal at the moment.
