NTR is an emotional actor: Koratala Siva

Director Koratala Siva talks about his forthcoming film ‘Janatha Garage’, working with NTR & Mohanlal and his upcoming project
With the trailer and music garnering good response, the hype surrounding ‘Janatha Garage’, which is set to release on September 1, has gotten bigger.

Giving a back-story on how it all happened, Koratala Siva reveals, “I have penned the script much before ‘Srimanthudu’ but kept on refining. The protagonist character is very strong and I need an intense actor who is also a star. I could not have asked for a better actor than NTR. When I narrated it to him, he liked it. I love the word ‘Janatha’ and it makes me go nostalgic.

In fact, it was a household name back in 80’s since everything from shops to political parties used to apply the word. After I scripted the story, I thought the word would do justice to the plot.”Having worked closely with NTR, Siva feels work experience with actor is a memorable one. “He is an emotional actor and a proven star.

He knows exactly how to deliver and when to pause. He makes acting looks so easy. He’s already a proven star and I relished every moment working with him.

The story is about two guys – one who loves earth (nature lover) and the other one who loves people on earth. The film, which has a lot of emotional value, would depict on what happens after two such characters come across each other.”

The director says that he never felt the pressure to work with stars. “I never felt any pressure working with star heroes, in fact, it’s always easy to direct them. All you need is a good story and they’ll deliver the rest. Moreover, no hero is after records, and it’s unfortunate that even media is getting into this numbers game.

Things have stoop down to a stage where people, instead of calling and giving me the feedback about the film, are asking me about the share (collections). I totally understand and respect fans’ enthusiasm but they need to understand that our focus only remains on delivering a good film and entertain the audience,” Siva puts in.

The ‘Mirchi’ helmer considers directing a film comes with a lot of responsibility. “Earlier my job was only to pen the story and chill out on the sets. But now I need to ensure that the story is well transformed on-screen. Plus I also look into other aspects on the sets.

It is strenuous but I’m enjoying every bit of it. Over the years, I have evolved as a filmmaker and my thought process has changed dramatically. I feel that writing helps direction and luckily, there’s no clash of thought in me as a writer and director. I always aspire to better my stories with each film.

I was touched to see scores of people giving up cultivation and migrating to cities for livelihood. I’m not blaming them but I feel bad when I hear such reports. So I include rustic backdrops in my films hoping that people might reconsider their decision”, he smiles.”

Siva is floored by the Malayalam superstar Mohanlal’s chivlary. He shares, “I need a popular face yet give a fresh appeal to that important character.

I have been toying with the idea of Mohanlal because he is a superstar. He was glad to come on board when we approached him. In fact, he was so humble that he voluntarily relinquished to dub for his lines because he feels his lack of command over Telugu might bring down the intensity of the role.”

There’s a special number in the film that was shot on Kajal. “I want the song to carry the tempo of the story and not bring down. So instead of roping a fresh actress, I believed Kajal’s recall value will add and drive the narrative,” substantiates Siva, who would team up with Mahesh Babu for the second time.