Veligonda Srinivas is one among the many writers who’s set to make a directorial debut in the film industry. His recent works as story writer was Akhil . He had written for Damarukam , Balupu , Bommana Brothers Chandana Sisters , Seema Sastry , Bendu Appa Rao etc. Though he loves action films, his forte is writing comedy. Andhhagadu starring Raj Tarun and Hebah Patel releases this Friday and the writer-director says all he had in his mind when he began writing this story was to dish out an entertaining fare.
Srinivas doesn’t mince words when he says that it is dire financial necessity that drives writers to take up direction. “Writing is not an easy job. If you give a story to the director, he can direct it in his style but it is not easy to convince a hero, his family, producer and director with a story. A director settles down financially after three or four films but a writer even after 20 years will never be comfortable, he cannot even afford to buy a house.”
Veligonda Srinivas says that our producers spend big amount to buy other language stories but hesitate to pay even decent amount to our writers.
The writer had written screenplay for the Tamil film Katthi but he says, he wasn’t given the credit. He did not muster the courage to approach Murugadoss as he was made to believe that getting an opportunity to work for his film is itself a big opportunity.
He avers, “The struggle of a writer is never ending. There are instances where producers leave the wannabe director with a responsibility to get the dates of the hero if at all he wants to direct. By the time the film is done, all a writer is left with is just peanuts. Short film writers are also directing their own films, there are no writers as such and very soon you will not find one in the industry. The reason for a writer turning director is purely for financial reasons.”
The other problems that go with are untold. One often hears of directors cribbing that there are no good stories available in Telugu film industry and when a writer approaches them, they snatch the story in parts; when you accuse them of plagiarism, they feign ignorance. The writer remains silent or sells his story for a pittance.
Andhhagadu his directorial debut is about a visually impaired happy youngster.
The story is about what happens to him after he gains vision. Veligonda Srinivas reveals, “When he is blind he is full of life and enthusiasm but matters change drastically. I went to a hostel for visually impaired and saw that all of them were very happy and were going about their lives as usual. I was surprised and used this in the film. Raj Tarun is not a flatteringly good looking actor which is why instead of ‘Andagadu’, I stressed on the syllable and it is ‘Andhhagadu’. I approached him with this story because I felt it was apt for him.”
The writer stresses that the screenplay in Andhhagadu will not be predictable, and one will enjoy the way the story unfolds. The writer-director who hails from Miryalaguda in Nalgonda district is a fan of Paruchuri Brothers and grew up watching their movies. He did enjoy writings from other people like Trivikram and Puri Jagannath as well but the former remains his favourite.
Entering film industry was inevitable, he quips, “I decided to enter film industry and there was no stopping me. This Friday a new chapter in my career will unfold.”
