Dasari was advised against Chakri and Catherine

I’m never against remakes. We have a history of remakes. Many of my blockbuster films were remade in languages like Hindi and Tamil- Dasari

Dasari Narayana Rao, who has produced and directed ‘Erra Bassu’, a remake of Tamil hit ‘Manjapai’, says subject was apt for him to remake it. “Besides the content, the grandfather’s role fitted me perfectly. Also I rarely get a chance to do such roles. If you look at my career I’ve done roles that I felt couldn’t be enacted by others; ‘MLA Edukondalu’, ‘Soorigadu’ or ‘Mamagaru’ prove the fact,” he says.

He continues, “I’m never against remakes. We have a history of remakes. Many of my blockbuster films were remade in languages like Hindi and Tamil. Some big filmmakers have even lifted my plots without seeking my consent. Directors like Balachander, Mani Ratnam and Shankar were inspired by some of my films and they told me before taking their films on to floors. Even some of NTR's films like 'Raktha Sambandam' and 'Aatma Banduvu' have been remakes. Even I had my share of remakes.”

He credits his grandchildren, for that his bond with them helped him to pull the role of grandfather naturally in ‘Erra Bassu’. “Had I done the same role before my grandchildren were born, I wouldn’t have pulled it off naturally. I’m very close to them. My granddaughter still sleeps only after I go to bed. She often sits in my office to bunk her home work,” he smiles.

The veteran, who calls spade a spade, says he was advised not to rope in composer Chakri for the background score of the film. “I was told that he is not into re-recording of late and I was like, ‘He’s a musician and he should be doing it.’ I sat next to him during re-recording and he was up to the task. People will get to see his skills once the film release,” he says.

He adds that was advised even not to pair Catherine Tresa alongside Vishnu Manchu. “I was told that she turns up late to the sets, but it wasn’t the case. She is very expressive and the way she went about a scene, which required her to ask Vishnu to decide between me and her speaks volumes of her talent. She has even gone about her lines without any prompting from the background,” he insists.

He believes that films with human values with always triumph at the box-office. “Only because of those values, some black and white films, which released five decades back, are still being watched now. Even the current lot seems to be in awe of them. But now if a scene or point proves successful, others are following suit, thinking that the same will pay rich dividends to them. Hence the success ratio has dipped drastically.”