Director YVS Chowdary is one of the big directors in Tollywood. A die-hard fan of late NTR, he made big name by making super hits with newcomers (Devadas and Sri Seetaramula Kayanam Chootam Rarandi). He also tasted success by making films with commercially non-viable stars (Lahiri Lahiri Lahiri Lo). Now focus is on him as he is making most ambitious project - Okka Magadu with Nandamuri Balakrishna as hero. The film completed 70 percent of the shooting and is presently the shoot is going in Hyderabad. Sri Atluri met YVS Chowdary at Washington during the TANA meet and found about Okkamagadu and much more..
Sri: In recent times none of the movie titles created as much buzz and hype as yours Okka Magadu!
Yeah, true. Not only the title, the project itself has become talk of the town for all the film lovers. And I am happy about that.
Sri: What is the film all about!
To me, Okka Magaadu is none other than Late NTR garu. He is only person who fits to the powerful description of the word - Okka Magaadu. He was inspiration not just for fans like me for every Telugaite around the globe. As I could not do a film with him, I making the film with his true successor Balakrishna who has the similar qualities of his father. He is the only hero now who proved himself with in varied films like historical, period, and mythological films. Be it Narasimhnanaidu, Srikrishnarnjuna Vijayam or Bhiaravadweepam, he looked awesome and portrayed the characters with par excellence. So I met Balakrishna and told the story. He liked it and immediately asked us to start the project.
Sri: Such a big film needs a gigantic production. Should you have not given the job of producing the film to others?
Why should I not make it on my own banner? (laughs). To tell the truth, I need a free hand in such an ambitious project. Outside producers can't easily understand the necessity of the expenditure for this film.
Sri : You had directed Harikrishna in three films now you are doing with Balakrishna. You are already branded as 'Nandamuri' director!
I had directed Mahesh in Yuvaraju and Nagarjuna in Seetaramaraju. And recently Ram in Devadasu. I will make films with everyone. I don't believe in this 'branding' and camps. But I am NTR fan. Nothing wrong in that.
Sri: Balakrishna has many getups in the film and you had shot the film in various locations. What is the reason for selecting so many locations?
Because the story demands it. We have special make up for the Balakrishna and Simran in the film. So we had done the wigs by Hollywood make up artistes here in USA. Don't ask me about the getups and NBK's character because you will be thrilled to see them on the screen. Once you see the film you know what made us to go to all this locations. So far, we shot in Australia, Malaysia, Hyderabad, Rajamundry and various temples in Rayalaseema. For the songs you need a colorful backdrop so we choose these locations.
Sri : Recently some of the photos appeared on various media.
My only request to the fans and film lovers is please do not share the photos on web. The problem is that when we shoot the film outside, some of the fans capture them through their camera or cell phones and in the eager to show them to their friends and others, they send to the publications. But they should remember that they are killing the project. See we know how to project the hero and heroines. We know how to shoot them to look glamorously on the screen. The photos they take might not be of the good quality. So please do not publish them on websites or blogs.
Sri: What made you to take in Manisharma for this film? You had worked mostly with Keeravani and then Chakri.
Manisharma is the most talented music director in the present generation. All the seven songs have special 'color' and feel to them each and like a rainbow they are all blended beautifully. Though the composition was finished within a week, it took more than a month to complete the songs recording because Mani had taken a lot of care to work on the zingles and the rhythms to get on the right track.
He perfectly knows where to use the drumbeat or saxophone in the track (Suppose there are four tracks he knows where to use the right dose of saxophone in one track while the drum beat on the other). He works very hard to get the quality music. I am happy that Okka Magadu is his hundredth movie.
Apart from music, lyrics too have come out so well. In my opinion, Chandrabose is Sahitya Chicchara Pidugu. After Veturi garu and Seetarama Shastry garu, he is the gifted lyricist Tollywood has blessed with. He is the single card lyricist in our banner from Seetayya. He blends both director's needs and music director requirements. What is more he works fast and his lyrics are youthful and catchy yet carry good meaning.
Sri : When is Okka Magadu coming to the screen. People feel that you make films very leisurely.
If everything goes fine we are planning to release it for Dussera. I don't make films at leisure as most people assume but I am very cautious. I check and recheck everything so that my films come well. If I hurry the quality might not come. So I take caution about it and make it on my
Sri: How does your wife Geeta co-operates with you on this?
She has complete trust in me and without her I might not have became a producer at all. It is she who encouraged me to become a producer for Lahiri Lahir Lo when everything was going wrong at that time. I was supposed to start the film with friends as partners but they were against taking Harikrishna garu as hero. They felt that he could not pull off a lead hero but I felt he is the right choice for that role. They backed off in the last minute. It was Geeta and her family who supported me and made me as a producer.
As she knows it is a creative world and I need to have the tension free atmosphere, she understands me completely and gives me the comforts I need in time. That way I was very happy. She has very good knowledge of old Hindi and English films and remembers all of them. You just need to ask her and she will tell you in a jiffy. Ours is love marriage and we lead a happy life. We are blessed with a daughter too.
Sri: The reason for putting Bommarillu for your banner?
In the old times people used to say 'NTR Bomma Vachindi raa... ANR Bomma Vacchindi ra'. For them, Bomma means film. So we kept 'Bomma'rillu for our banner. A house that makes Bomma (films).
Sri: How did your TANA trip go?
YVS: I was invited by Sri Mulpuri Venkatrao garu for TANA. I am glad I came here. I met so many good human beings and it helped me to interact with many people who are nice and keeping our tradition more than what we do in India. The response was overwhelming.
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