‘I believe I’m in a war zone’

Director Puri Jagannadh remains as fearless as ever and ready to take on challenges

Puri Jagannadh

Director Puri Jagannadh rises like a phoenix after every two flops; a rollercoaster ride is a moderate term to describe his life. In a chat with MetroPlus on the eve of the release of Loafer , he says, “I believe I’m in a war zone. Every day I am fighting with myself, people and situations. I don’t believe God has been kind to me, he doesn’t think of us at all. From the seventh class onwards I stopped praying. Earlier I would go to Nagara Sankeerthanalu, poojalu and vrathams wherever they were held. yekkada ye vratham ayina nenu vellevadini God is there but pattinchukodu (he doesn’t bother).”

The director says the struggle and pain for a technician is a continuous process as crores ride on the project. There are times when he is not balanced, the script isn’t always perfect but one thing is for sure — everytime he was in a low, he came out with the best, be it Businessman or Neninthe , the kick one gets out of it is different. He avers, “I am able to sustain despite a few flops because I am able to convince the actors. As long as I do that I can survive. My strength is writing and I finish on time and within the budget. I am strong minded and stubborn; I don’t wait for a hero, I go ahead with the next available actor. I take risks and that helps me get new ideas. I like people who work,be it my wife, kids or others whom I love....it is anyone who works hard, is talented and sharp. It doesn’t work if someone says I will write a good story but will take two years.”

Jagan doesn’t like holidays, in the last 15 years, he had taken just 20 days off. When he goes abroad it is to work on the script. “I do enjoy but I work the most. People take six months to write a script, I will do it in two weeks in isolation, in peace and sans disturbance.”

With

Loafer, Jagan returns to the mother-son relationship, more then a decade after he made Amma Nanna O Tamil Ammayi . No mother wants her son to grow up to be a loafer; but that is exactly what her husband does here, he snatches the son away and raises him to be a loafer. The son thinks she is dead. Why did Jagan pick Revati? “The story is about devata laanti talli deyyam lanti thandri (Goddess-like mother and a devil-like father). I felt Revati has a certain dignity and charm and she isn’t dramatic. Revathi was not willing initially as she felt she doesn’t fit into commercial cinema. But she eventually agreed and would often say, ‘I’m doing this because I trust you.’” Idhi correctena..ninnu nammi chestunna..naku teleedu

As for the rest, he says, “Varun is 6 ft 4 inches and Revati is short. Posani brings out situational humour. Disha Pathani is being compared as the next Ileana, I am sure she will be a star. My next film is with Ishan, a Bangalore youth. It is called Rogue and is being made in Telugu and Kannada. The shoot is on. I can’t make films with muddapappu laanti kurrollu . They have to look rough and tough.”