‘Kishkindhapuri’ horror mystery thriller
‘Kishkindhapuri’ is a very engaging horror mystery thriller that promises to give audiences an edge-of-the-seat experience, says director Kaushik Pegallapati.
Starring Bellamkonda Sai Srinivas in the lead and Anupama Parameswaran as the heroine, ‘Kishkindhapuri’ is directed by Kaushik Pegallapati and produced by Sahu Garapati under Shine Screens. The promotional content has already created strong buzz, and the film is set to release on September 12. On this occasion, the director shared key insights in a press conference.
How did this project begin? “My first film was ‘Chavu Kaburu Chalaga’. After that, I was supposed to do another project with Geetha Arts, but it got delayed. Meanwhile, I narrated this story to producer Sahu garu, who liked it very much. Later, when Bellamkonda Sai Srinivas garu heard it, he was very excited. Everyone connected with the story, and that’s how ‘Kishkindhapuri’ started,” he explained.
Why choose horror? “I love horror films. That genre has its own fan base. I always wanted to create a story that appeals to horror lovers. ‘Kishkindhapuri’ is a mix of horror and mystery with many thrilling, edge-of-the-seat moments. My goal is to give audiences a new experience with every film I make. Just like my debut, this one also offers something different,” Kaushik said.
Sai Srinivas’ reaction “Sai garu really loved the story. He’s an action-packed hero, but he asked me to film it just as I envisioned. He supported me from the very beginning in terms of story, visuals, and technical aspects. Everything we planned has translated beautifully onto the screen.”
Title justification “‘Kishkindhapuri’ immediately reminds us of the Ramayana. The story takes metaphorical inspiration from it. Viewers who carefully watch will find many references linked to the epic,” Kaushik revealed.
On Anupama’s role “Anupama has done a role unlike anything she’s attempted before. Both hero and heroine characters are inspired by real incidents I’ve seen. They will feel fresh on screen. Since the entire story takes place in an unknown location, we cast very peculiar characters.”
Sets and backdrop “This is a story connected to a radio station, which had to be massive. Since the film begins in 1989, we recreated that vintage vibe. The locations are very unique, and the story flows continuously with a lot of action.”
Producer’s support “From the very beginning, Sahu garu gave us everything we needed without compromise,” he said.
Censor board response “They said it’s a solid horror mystery after a long time. Some sequences were very scary, so they gave an ‘A’ certificate, mentioning that if even they got scared, kids definitely would. Still, there are no smoking or drinking scenes—it’s a clean film for families.”
On music “Chetan’s music is amazing. He composed three beautiful songs and elevated the film further with his RR,” Kaushik praised.
On expectations after ‘Rakshasudu’ “Since Sai and Anupama’s pairing was a super hit in ‘Rakshasudu’, naturally, expectations are high. But we are confident. We believe we’ve made a sensible, high-quality film with top-notch technical standards and excellent graphics,” he concluded.