Having travelled 20 years with Sukumar in the film industry it is but natural for Hari Prasad Jakka to make his debut as a director. He’s ready with his film Darsakudu.
He had spent most of his life in Kakinada, schooling to B Tech after which he became a lecturer in physics and math and coached Eamcet and IIT aspirants. His strengths, he admits, are his analytical skills and strong logical power.
Sukumar and Hari Prasad were lecturers in Kakinada. Sukumar liked Hari Prasad’s understanding and criticism of film stories. Post Arya , Sukumar wanted his friend to join him in the movie industry.
Hari Prasad recollects, “He writes stories and wanted me to be there to give him suggestions and discuss his characters. From Jagadam onwards we travelled together. I too started writing stories; he liked my story of 1 Nenokkadine and that’s how he made it into a film. I wrote the screenplay for 100 % Love . Now I have written the story, screenplay and dialogues for Darsakudu . I didn’t plan my career, I just thought I should write a story and then felt I should direct. I had written it for Sukumar’s nephew, Ashokwho will be launched in this.”
All Sukumar protégés create characters that have a grey edge that drives the story. For instance, the trailer of Darsakudu has the director taking everyone by surprise on a movie set.
The heroine is unable to kiss the hero properly, with the right expression. Miffed, the director suddenly walks upto a girl — the heroine’s friend — and kisses her. The shocked expression she gives is exactly what he wanted. ?
Hari Prasad reasons excitedly, “The kissing scene is just a ploy to grab attention but there is lot more to the story; it is a family entertainer. Actually no person is 100 %hero or villain. You can never find perfectionin anyone.
The director is passionate about his craft, he wants a shocked expression and he is not getting it. The story is not what you think it is in the trailer. Everything changes from scene to scene and you won’t get time to think. I wanted a cinema backdrop hence the title Darsakudu .”
Hari Prasad is aware that the audience is in no mood for routine stuff and even routine stuff should be presented in an absolutely fresh format.
On chosing a subject that would be apt for newcomer Ashok, Hari Prasad says, “I saw Pandem Kodi and was surprised to see an ordinary youth being elevated to great height...there are songs, fights, romance, emotions et al. I noticed that heroism was elevated but not the hero. People should not wonder as to why the director is burdening a newcomer with fights and dialogues but they should enjoy all the commercial ingredients. I have designed this not just for class audience but everyone. I wanted a dusky complexioned girl, like Esha.I didn’t want a Mumbai heroine.”
The film was shot in Hyderabad and a song was canned in Goa and Thailand. It is slated for June 9 release.
