The flexibility that digital content allows, often leads to its singular focus on engaging audiences, especially because commercial restrictions take a backseat in this format.
Hyderabad Nawabs director Lakshmikanth Chenna enjoyed being in that space for Hey Krishna , a YuppTV web series spanning 12 episodes and starring Varun Sandesh, Kashish Vohra, ‘Viva’ Harsha and Mounima. Written by Mahi Illindra , the writer behind commercial successes like Venkatadri Express and Express Raja , the episodes released to good response across the streaming platform recently.
“Any film that you make is aimed to entertain audience for over two hours. A web series needs to be engaging on a different level altogether, they’re parallel paths,” Lakshmikanth remarks.
Lakshmikanth Chenna
What made him make the digital entry? “The challenge to deliver an emotional hook with each episode and make spectators expect the ‘unexpected’. The future is the digital stream, this may not be the right time to judge the evolution of Telugu web series, but the coming years I feel will be promising.” What helped him choose the right script for his digital debut is his understanding of diverse media. The film experience came in handy to comprehend how would the audience react to different kinds of content. He says, “Even a movie at the end of the day is a two-episode output. The number of episodes vary here, that’s about it.”
He set out to make Hey Krishna with the family audiences in mind and the need to cater to various age groups. Hey Krishna is a window into the life of an engineering graduate (played by Varun Sandesh) whose repeated attempts to woo his lady love don’t meet with success.
The socio-fantasy element is about the protagonist blaming Lord Krishna as the root cause of his sufferings and a failed love life. “Krishna (both in mythology and in the web series) is a character that we all associate with entertainment. He’s a jolly good guy here and someone who wants to have a good rapport with everyone.” Humour takes precedence in Hey Krishna , there’s no tension in the story and spectators would want to see more of him with each episode, he assures.
Despite the absence of heavy commercials, one wonders if the pressure of getting enough online hits got to him. Sounding unfazed, Lakshmikanth responds, “When you focus on content, word of mouth will spread and things will fall in place, be it the crowds in a theatre or the number of views on a streaming channel.” Will there be a time when the digital space will threaten the film industry?
“Cinema will have its own place in the industry but the access to digital world will only increase with time. For instance, if you go shopping with someone who take a long time to select what they would buy, you can finish watching a web series on your mobile as you wait.”
Accessibility is an advantage with digital content, he feels. “It’s assured that the balance will tilt towards the digital dimension. There will be a time when a legion of web series filmmakers will emerge.” He says the medium is a boon to filmmaking aspirants, who may or may not get to make their dream project.
Meanwhile Lakshmikanth Chenna is on a location recce near Manali for his next feature film Parichayam .
