It is not uncommon for filmmakers to take up acting assignments. But a movie starring a battery of well known directors playing major characters is something of a new phenomenon. This curiosity led us to Shamshabad where experimental filmmaker Premraj is filming a major chunk of the movie in an old Mangalore tiled bungalow.
As we stepped in, the director was seen in an animated conversation with his cinematographer Kalyan Sami.
The lead players, Ravibabu, Chandra Mahesh, Flora (Asha Saini would like to be called by her real name henceforth), newcomer Revaa and veteran Kakinada Shyamala wait for the take to begin. Once the camera rolled, Chandra Mahesh who plays the younger brother of Ravibabu charged towards him and accuses him of something. While Revaa looked a bit confused, Flora sported a defiant look. It is at this stage the siblings' mother (Kakinada Shyamala) steped in. The director ordered ‘cut'.
“Any young wife longs for the company of her husband. She wants him to spend quality time with her, take her out for movies, candle light dinner and other such outings at least during weekends. These are very simple desires. What if the husband is immersed in his office work thinks that his job is only to earn and provide for the family and never bothers to know the feelings of his spouse? Chandra Mahesh plays this character and Flora, his frustrated wife. In contrast his elder brother Ravibabu, a businessman finds more time to spend with his wife. Living in a joint family, he shows concern towards his sister-in-law. This slowly draws Flora closer to him. The consequences of that are what we are shooting today,” discloses Premraj.
He had earlier made the poetically titled, Nagaram Nidrapothunnavela.This film is based on Yandamuri Veerendranath's popular novel, Anaithikam (meaning Immorality). “I read that novel five or six years ago and decided to make a movie version of it. But it fructified today, thanks to my producer T. Venkatesh Yadav,” Premraj says.
Talking about signing popular directors instead of professional actors for the male lead, he said that Yandamuri's characters have a lot of depth and only seasoned actors can do justice to those roles. “Most of our filmmakers enact the scene to their lead actors and they in turn replicate the performance before the camera. So all our filmmakers are better actors as well and can understand complex characterisations. I felt they can communicate these complex creations better to the audience. Also their presence in the lead roles offers newness to the audience.”
Besides Ravibabu and Chandra Mahesh, popular directors Sagar, Jayanth C. Paranje, N. Shankar, Ramprasad, Devi Prasad, Kasi Viswanath and those who are making their mark as filmmakers, Veeru Potla and Anil Krishna are in the cast. Suddala Ashok Teja wrote the five songs composed by Yasho Krishna. “The songs are situational,” adds Premraj.
The next schedule is planned in Mumbai and Vizag, to film a few important scenes and then return to Hyderabad to complete the shoot. “The characters emanate from life around. I think the audience can identify with them. It is an offbeat theme made in the commercial format,” guffaws Premraj signing off as the field is set for the next shot be taken.
Akasamlo Sagam
Cast: Ravibabu, Chandra Mahesh, Flora, Revaa
Screenplay, Direction: Premraj
Music: Yashokrishna
Banner: Keerthana Movie Makers
