Directors’ Take: Telugu cinema’s emerging voices

There’s more to Telugu cinema beyond larger-than-life, star-led lavish projects. This series focuses on a few emerging writer-directors who have tried to put forth refreshing narratives

(Clockwise from top left) Directors Vivek Athreya, Gowtam Tinnanuri, Prasanth Varma, Rahul Sankrityan, Venkatesh Maha, Tharun Bhascker, Sashi Kiran Tikka and Sailesh Kolanu

Directors’ Take is an in-depth video interview series that shines the spotlight on the newer crop of directors who made a mark in Telugu cinema in the last few years. For every larger-than-life Baahubali, Pushpa or RRR that have captured the attention of moviegoers across India, there have been several indie-spirited Telugu films made in smaller budgets that cut across genres, from rom-coms to thrillers and slice-of-life stories. 

This series steps away from interviews that are normally tailored to promote a new film. We try to understand the thought processes of the directors, movies that shaped them and what they foresee for Telugu cinema. These directors have tried to move away from the overtly masala-laden and formulaic narratives to put forth new stories within the parameters of mainstream cinema. In a heavily star-led industry, these directors have managed to put their stamp on their movies, even when they work with stars. 

Did you know that the script of Jersey went through nearly 10 drafts before being finalised? Or that Pelli Choopulu was written off even before its release by film industry insiders? The interviews unravel such aspects, and a lot more.