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No one came forward to produce Rudhramadevi: Gunasekhar
Highlights
No One Came Forward To Produce Rudhramadevi: Gunasekhar. Director Gunasekhar’s fascination for the fairy-tale Rudhramadevi began when he was in class VIII. However, it was not until a decade ago that the seed was sown in his mind with the idea of the film. Three years after its launch, the film is finally set to unspool this Friday.
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Director Gunasekhar’s fascination for the fairy-tale Rudhramadevi began when he was in class VIII. However, it was not until a decade ago that the seed was sown in his mind with the idea of the film. Three years after its launch, the film is finally set to unspool this Friday. The filmmaker shares his experience on the journey and challenges faced while making the historical epic drama.
A decade of research
It was after the box-office smash ‘Okkadu’ the idea of making ‘Rudhramadevi’ triggered. But much to his disappointment, no producer was willing to “invest in a female-centric film” which was conceived on a mammoth budget. “I was saddened that no producer evinced interest in the project but I nevertheless carried on with my research on the subject even as I directed other films. When ‘Avatar’ (2009) created a lot of buzz, I thought I should incorporate 3D technology in this film as well. I set off to London and Germany and took up crash courses on the technology for a couple of months. But I still couldn’t find a producer even after I returned. So I decided to produce it myself as I believed in the script. While it is tough to be a producer and director at the same time, I could focus on my creative aspects because my wife Ragini took care of the production activities,” elucidates the director, adding, “Art director Thota Tharani spent months in Warangal, studying and creating sketches of his observations from the remains of the Kakatiya dynasty. We later recreated it all with the help of sets and VFX. The film is a historical drama and the purpose of the VFX (visual effects) is only to enhance the viewing experience.”
No Anushka, No ‘Rudhramadevi’
Anushka Shetty seemed to be the ‘only’ but natural choice for the director, ever since he decided to embark on the project. Justifying his move, Gunasekhar shares, “Anushka has been my choice all through because the elegance and persona of Rudhramadevi reflected in her. She was very excited when I narrated the story.” Gunasekhar recalls briefing about the magnitude of work she needed to put in for the film and how the actress was game for it. “Anushka had to train in sword-fighting and horse-riding for several months. She even injured herself quite a few times in the process but her commitment and determination was a delight to watch. She eventually completed the film without a body double. Her eagerness to know more about the queen was an encouragement for me.”
Stars expressed interest
Gunasekhar’s quest for a suitable actor for the role of Gona Gannareddy was not easy. Sharing details on how he eventually zeroed in on ‘stylish star’ Allu Arjun, he says, “I was thrilled when stars like NTR, Mahesh Babu, etc., expressed their interest to play the iconic Gona Gannareddy. However, things did not materialise with them and later Allu Arjun offered himself to play the Kakatiya military chieftain. He did a lot of homework and even put in effort to mouth dialogues in the Telangana accent. I’m confident that his role will drive other stars to come out of their comfort zone and try intense supporting roles like this. His dacoit character was etched like Robin Hood and will go down as one of the most memorable performances in the history of Telugu cinema. In fact, it was his idea to have Chiranjeevi’s voice over for the film. Rana Daggubati (as Chalukya Veerabhadra) too delivered a stellar performance.”
- Sashidhar Adivi
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