Satyadev: My film has nothing to do with Nathuram Godse

Actor Satyadev Kancharana holds forth on his new Telugu film, ‘Godse’, in which he plays a vigilante

Published - June 08, 2022 02:45 pm IST

Satyadev in ‘Godse’

Satyadev in ‘Godse’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Director Gopiganesh Pattabhi and actor Satyadev Kancharana’s second Telugu film collaboration, Godse, plans to shine the spotlight on several niggling issues. The film, scheduled to release in theatres on June 17, will star Satyadev as a vigilante named Godse, raising questions such as why graduates are unable to find employment befitting their qualification and are forced into the gig economy, as food delivery agents. “Gopi anna did a survey and found that 95% (of the respondents) were working in fields that had nothing to do with their qualification. His writing is a reaction to such social issues,” Satyadev explains when he begins this interview.

The actor cites the example of some of his peers who specialised in mechanical or electrical engineering but took up jobs in the information technology sector: “I belong to the 5% that had the opportunity to follow my heart. Not everyone is lucky.” For the uninitiated, Satyadev worked as a software engineer and pursued acting alongside his job. When he was sure he could sustain a film career, he quit his IT job.

The film’s title, Satyadev explains, has nothing to do with Nathuram Godse: “My character is an admirer of Gandhi; there is a backstory of what made him a vigilante. I cannot give away much, but I can assert that our film’s title does not refer to Nathuram Godse.”

He and the director discussed the ideas that sparked the film sometime in 2021: “At 22 or 25, you complete your education assuming you would spend at least the next 25 years working in a related field, only to realise there are not enough jobs. A lot of politicking happens at the government and corporate level that determines what industries are established in a State. Such facts became the starting points for this film’s script.”

Satyadev as a vigilante in the film

Satyadev as a vigilante in the film | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Godse introduces Tamil actor Aishwarya Lekshmi as an officer investigating the case of the vigilante. Satyadev describes the film as “a political action thriller” that can make people think. “The questions he poses will linger in people’s minds. I think when you raise questions through a well-written script, it will reach the audience.”

After winning appreciation for his work in Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya (UMUR) and Skylab, Satyadev is looking forward to the reception for Godse. He mentions a three-minute-20-second scene in the climax that he rendered in one take: “Since they had to show reactions from the other characters, editing was done to incorporate those. I was pleased that I delivered a lengthy dialogue in a single take. It has come out well and I am eager to see how people react to it.”

The 2018 film Bluffmaster, Satyadev’s first with Gopiganesh, fared decently in theatres and gained immense popularity when it was streamed digitally. “Even today I get so many comments about the film; it became a cult. The number of people who began following my work grew three to four times after that film.” 

However, Satyadev hopes that Godse will have good reception in the theatres. “We are planning to promote the film in colleges to spread the word.”

Satyadev’s career witnessed an uptick post-Bluffmasterand UMUR. He signed the Hindi film Ram Setu co-starring Akshay Kumar and the Telugu film Godfather co-starring Chiranjeevi. He also has Gurtunda Seethakalam with Tamannaah and an untitled project produced by Koratala Siva. “I have completed filming for Ram Setu and Godfather. Chiranjeevi garu was a huge influence in my childhood years; he is the reason I grew interested in acting. It is an honour to work with him.”

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.