‘Be spontaneous to attract cinema goers’

After writing screenplay for a couple of low budget films, the first big opportunity was given to him by erstwhile matinee idol and former Chief Minister N.T.Rama Rao.

Screenplay writer Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao sharing a lighter moment with Rotary Club of Vijayawada Mid-Town president M. Satish and secretary R.V. Subba Rao, in Vijayawada on Sunday. Photo: Raju V

Screenplay writers have to be original, spontaneous and novel to enjoy the patronage of the public, said noted screenplay writer Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao.

In a talk on “Cinema, Jeevitham (life) and Hasyam (humour)” to members of Rotary Club of Vijayawada (Midtown) here on Sunday, Mr Rao said that he along with his brother Gopalakrishna had written screenplay for 340 films in a career spanning over 35 years. He said it was a formidable task to enjoy the continued patronage of the cinemagoers for three and a half decades.

Mr Rao who hails from Veduru village in Krishna district spoke about how he, an officer in the Auditor General’s office and his brother a Telugu lecturer got into the business of writing screenplay for Telugu films. After writing screenplay for a couple of low budget films, the first big opportunity was given to him by erstwhile matinee idol and former Chief Minister N.T.Rama Rao. The film “Chandasasanudu” was a big hit. After that producer Rama Naidu approached him and then there was no turning back, he recalled.

Explaining the creative process involved in screenplay writing Mr Rao spoke about the way he wrote the screenplay for the Chiranjeevi hit “Khaidi” after watching a video of Hollywood film ‘Firstblood’. Mr Rao said that a scene from the film “Gandhi” made by Richard Attenborough had a tremendous impact on him. It was the scene in which Gandhi gives up his upper clothe to a woman wearing a torn blouse. “We can say more with less dialogue more effectively.” This had a great impact on his writing he said.

The screenplay writer spoke about why he incorporated humours actors into his screenplay. He said Iron Leg Sastry and M.S.Narayana were people he introduced in his films and today they had become noted comedians.

The screenplay writer urged the Rotarians to continue programmes to check population growth as it was the biggest threat to humanity. “People are fight over water to begin with and later they will fight over other things. Krishna delta has a long history of agriculture.

The farmers here cultivated food for all in the state and today some leaders are objecting to water being released to them. This is a cause of pain to me,” he said.

The club president M.Satish Babu presided and secretary R.V.Subba Rao proposed a vote of thanks.