Venky Kudumula is not new to the industry but takes baby steps as a director with his debut venture Chalo that’s set for the year-end release.
A film buff from his childhood and fed on Chiranjeevi’s films, Venky, a native of Khammam district, was sure of his goal — to be an actor and decided to relocate after his school and college for it. “Watching films always gave me a high. I came to Hyderabad and got an admission in Acharya NG Ranga University. While studying commercial agriculture and business management, I pursued and made efforts to know about the industry people and how to get in touch with them. Someone told me that Krishna Nagar and Venkatgiri are the places to hobnob and so I even chose to live there.”
He started off by just roaming around Filmnagar roads hoping to catch a glimpse of Mohan Babu’s and Chiranjeevi’s houses. He adds, “I bought a film diary and took a note of directors’ contact addresses. I would message only flop film directors at that time and they would call me back. I would visit directors, find out their birthdays and addresses and take a cake for them. It worked and that was how I got introduced to some directors and I moved ahead. All the people who I bumped into were helpful. Each of them — be it comedians or supporting actors helped me in networking. I would put up wacky status messages, people would notice them and help me out.”
Venky tells us how he learnt the art of writing and that too recently. Only after meeting director Teja he picked up the nuances of filmmaking. Teja roped him in the direction department of Neeku Naku Dash Dash . Venky says it isn’t enough if we find directors to work with, one must find a director who is making a genre that you are interested in. “You should be strong in the genre, that genre the director is working on. One should be sincere and dedicated too. The director should believe that if you are entrusted with a responsibility you would execute it perfectly.”
With a direction Venky Kudumula on the sets of ‘Chalo’
Venky heaps praise on Teja and Trivikram with whom he worked for a film each and says he never continued with them for a second film lest they leave a strong influence over him. Venky wanted to develop his own brand of cinema.
He recollects their working style, “Teja will do anything for cinema..he will put his ego aside for it. He doesn’t sit at all except during lunch hour. I knew writing but learnt the ABCD of writing for cinema from him. After Neeku Naku Dash Dash , I worked for Toofan for the Telugu version in the writing department and then for director Yogi who made Jadoogadu . That is when I met Naga Shourya, the hero of my debut film Chalo . Everyone works hard, puts the same amount of effort for a big film or a small film, but somehow I wanted to be a part of a hit project. Then I joined Trivikram’s team and worked for A…Aa . My confidence doubled. He is someone who can work without assistant directors, all he needs is a camera. He works with a smile always and has extraordinary writing skills. After A..Aa I decided I should direct a movie. I met Trivikram and he concurred and said by next year this time, you should be ready with a movie. He told me once that he has everything but there is a disappointment that none of his boys from his direction department have become directors… nuvvaina aa lotu teerchu .”
Chalo is about a couple who fall in love in college; that college is situated between two warring villages on the Andhra and Tamil Nadu border. “The students decide that whatever be problems, there should be no fights in the college and the next generation should study and grow up without prejudice. There will be many twists and the protagonist is someone who moves ahead which is why the story has been titled Chalo,” explains Venky. It has been shot for 60 days and in places like Guntur, Perur, Hyderabad, Chikmagalur.
The director signs off, “I have confidence in my strength, i.e is writing stories. I want it be translated on screen and now I have amazing sync with the cinematographer and the hero, which should work”.
