What
is the film Party all about?
Party is basically designed as fun film targeted at young
people, young families and everybody else in general audiences
who want to watch a film and have good time. Like the name
conjure 'party' is about letting loose, letting your hair
down, just unwind and have few laughs. Movie is about a group
of ordinary people caught up in some extraordinary situations
and how they wiggle out of the situations. This film is set
up in a party kind of ambiance. Party generates lots of entertainment,
laughter and fun.
How
different is Party from your earlier films Allari, Ammailu
Abbailu and Soggadu?
Every film I have done so far belong to different genre. Allari
was targeted at below 20 year olds and it was more of an adolescent
love story. Ammailu Abbailu deals more with the physical insecurities
of people and it was a satire on urban professional life.
Soggadu is a love story set up in inner city background. Soggadu
tries to capture sincere angle in otherwise not-so-sincere
boy. What level he raises to when he is confronted with an
extraordinary situation in his life.
When it
comes to Party, it is in the genre by itself. Party is an
urban and suave comedy. It is a comedy film right from the
word go. This film is loaded with gags from the first scene
to the last scene. This film is being made with the single
objective of making audience laugh. Leave your thinking cap
behind and have fun.
What
difference do you seen in audience thinking when you made
Allari and now?
When I made Allari film they accepted few things. With the
encouragement I got, I took more liberty to make Ammailu Abbailu.
Then I noticed that people were changing but not as fast as
I was making films. With that lesson, we made Soggadu. We
did few mistakes in Soggadu. We learned from it. Every film
is a learning experience. You just try not to make mistakes
you made earlier. In the process you end up making new mistakes.
As
for as the audiences are concerned, they have evolved pretty
much over a period last 3-4 years. They are accepting different
films. The films made on small budgets for niche market ended
up making profits. There are certain good films, which could
not make money because of over budget. Economic scenario was
not planned well. But audiences have been very encouraging
for new filmmakers and new scripts. Since overseas market
has opened up, these kinds of films would do well in overseas
these days.
As filmmakers
it is our responsibility to do new kinds of films and give
new experiences to the audiences. At the same time reciprocity
is expected from the movie lovers.
What
is the budget of this film?
This film is targeted at 18-35 age group audiences. I am limiting
this film only to the 50 lakhs of people who visits multiplexes.
I am limiting my budget as per the expectations on how much
these kinds of audiences generate. I made an estimation of
budget by looking at the history of collections in A centers
for these kinds of films.
What
is the reason for picking Allari Naresh and Shashank?
For all my films, I first write the script and then decide
who are going to be in it than the other way round. It is
historically proven that you cant write scripts by keeping
actors in mind. Most of those films failed. After writing
the script, I chose Allari Naresh, Shashank and Brahmanandam
for these three main leads as the script demanded it.
What
about the music?
I have not by force cut into a song in the standard narrative
format. I placed the songs in such a way that they do not
interfere with the narrative of the film. At the same time
I placed them in such a way that the audience does not miss
the music in the film. Songs would not disturb the mood of
the film. I feel that songs (especially the bad ones) take
away the momentum of the film. This film has 4 main songs
and two additional bit songs. It also has special themes.
What
are the locations?
I shot the entire film in Hyderabad. Since a large part of
this film is set against software background, we decided to
have Hyderabad backdrop.
So
far you have been doing all limited budget films with relatively
new comers. Dont you plan to direct big stars?
As I told you earlier the script comes first. If I think a
big star is necessary to cast in my script, I would definitely
go and approach them. So far I have not written a script that
suits a big star. Budget is always dictated by the star
in the film. Since I make films with all new comers, my films
have limited budgets.
You
are saying that Party has the backdrop of Party with a crime
angle in it? Two films with similar themes (AOR and Danger)
were released in 2005. How different Party is going to be?
Absolutely no connection. Party word is used in a very metaphorical
way in this film to suggest fun and entertainment. At the
same time a party is also happening in the film. I have seen
the films you mentioned which were made by my friends. There
is no parallels between these films. In those films party
is set up in the beginning to kick start the film. Party is
culmination of this film.
In
Allari and Ammailu Abbailu there was adolescent comedy which
kept the family audiences away. What about Party?
We have put the humor which is necessary for this kind
of script. Party is going to be a clean comedy.
If
you analyze yourself what are your strengths/weakness as a
filmmaker?
Let me tell you my weakness first. My weakness is not still
being able to understand the script completely. I think its
a standard weakness for many of the filmmakers. If we knew
how to make a perfect script we all would generate hits nonstop.
I am still 4 films old. I have a long way to go to understand
what the perfect script is. With every film I am trying to
identify my weaknesses and then try to overcome. Ironically
many people say that my first script (Allari) is my best script.
Then it must have been a fluke and I happened to hit the right
script by chance. But thats not true. I have always
done what is right for that particular film. Anybody can fail
at creative aspect. But I would feel vulnerable if I fail
in execution aspect. I am good at execution and fail in creative
aspects, at times.
My
strength lies in executing the story idea. Trying to put your
idea into celluloid form and trying to present that with the
best possible aesthetics (choice of camera angles and choice
of art direction - colors, locations and costumes). I can
present the script idea perfectly the way I have imagined
in my mind.
You
seem to have certain kind of theme in terms of visuals. How
do you do it?
It is called visual design. As per the demand of the script,
I chose a visual design to go with it. Allari had funky look.
Ammailu Abbailu had a plastic and unrealistic look. Soggadu
had a realistic look and dark colors that depict the destitute
on the street. Party will have corporate look. After the script
is completed, my second task is to get the look of the film
right. If the look is right, then it is easy for us to involve
the audiences into our story.
By
targeting niche market, are you not going to lose a large
pie?
The mistake most of us do in Telugu films is that we do want
to make films for everybody. That means we target the most
uneducated man in remote part of the state to the super sophisticated
multiplex kind of crowd. You are trying to please a large
crossection of the audience which means you have to put elements
for everybody. But putting elements for everybody, subconsciously,
we are making same films again and again. You are giving violence,
music, comedy and it becomes a standard package of a so-called
commercial cinema loaded with formula which we think would
be liked by everybody. But look at the success rate of our
films. It is hardly 5%, which means that our formula is not
working. The time has come where you need to make films only
for certain kind of people. Then only you can make different
kinds of scripts and different kinds of movies. All these
different sets of audiences has different kinds of tastes.
Some times the music work in certain films and some other
times the energy of an actor. But ultimately it is the script
that gives us a guaranteed result. I am not going to please
every one. I will only target multiplex crowds with Party.
If those people see my film and like it I am happy.
Except
Ammailu Abbailu, all others films were produced by you (Allari
Ravi was also a partner in Soggadu film). What is the reason?
Even when I was making ad films I was the producer and
the director. I think that trend continued with me into the
film industry. I dont see any specific reason why I
should not produce most of my films.
What
do you think is the reason for slump in Telugu film industry?
Just like in any other industry, Telugu film industry too
go through the phases of boom and bust. If you take year 2002,
we had a boom where most of the Telugu films were successful
and film industry of other languages was in slump. That trend
has just reversed. Its a passing phase.
Is
education important to the filmmakers?
Yes. If you are not educated, you should not be directing
films. Period! As a director you should be competent enough
to manage all 24 departments.
|