How Dookudu Movie Started...?

About How Dhookudu Film Started

14

AUG

DHOOKUDU work actually started in december 2009.

Sreenu Vaitla ji confirmed the project with 14 reels entertainment.

Then i along with my friends started working on several lines.

My friends Sreenivas Tagore(we call him toopran sreenivas),writer Sreedhar Seepana and Jonathan(he is an ardent fan of modern cinema and now directing Prayanikudu film) and i started discussing several concepts.

I got an idea to work on an action love story.My feeling is Mahesh Babu never did a complete action love story.

Okkadu in a way is an action love story without a proper focus on love story.

Then i immediately got few ideas on that and started discussing with friends.We planned a personal trip discussing this to Goa.I took the attached photograph there only.We developed Hilarious scenes with lots of action and romance.

Then we narrated our initial version to Sreenu Vaitla garu.

They felt happy and we are on the job.

Mean While NAMO VENKATESA movie released and it got very good 1st week response and then fared reasonably well.

After Dhee and Ready,people are expecting something else but we made this film in the same genre.At that time many pictures came in these lines and people felt bit monotony.So I and Sreenu garu started discussing whether we should continue the same entertaining comedies or to change our pattern entirely.Some where some one has to take an U turn.And one has to know where to stop.Stakes and expectations are raising high for every movie.Trends are also changing every day.We have to take care in every aspect of film making for every film and every year.Even a small mistake costs a lot.After Andharivaadu he seriously took care of his films and he tried to maintain his mark for every film upto Namo Venkatesa.He is happy to introduce his long time friends Gopichand Achanta,Ram Achanta and Anil Sunkara with Namo Venkatesa film.They are also very grateful to sreenu vaitla garu and happy with the film.So the relationship continued with Mahesh Babu project also.Producers told Sreenu Vaitla garu not to compromise on Mahesh Babu film.They even told us that they can risk to any extent in budget wise if the subject is good.They want to do a memorable project.

At this point of time Sreenu Vaitla garu want to do something different and he want to show Mahesh Babu in an epic movie.

He has one period subject in mind.And he narrated that line to me.I liked the concept but then i and our producers started thinking practically.It need proper planning and time to execute.Already Mahesh Babu film is getting delayed and his audience want to see him in more movies.I started buying books and watching epic movies to develop the line.

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AUG

I personally like adventurous epic films like Mackenna’s Gold & Indiana Jones – Raiders of the Last Ark. And I am a big fan of a film, Romancing the Stone and I always wanted to see Mahesh Babu in such an adventurous film.

At that point of time in the same lines,Yugaaniki Okkadu had released. Sreenu Vaitla garu liked the movie & we were happy that the film got a good response. So for couple of days we discussed one or two lines in this pattern. Something was missing in our discussions and we were not happy with the way it was progressing. So, we dropped the idea of attempting an adventure film.

Then Sreenu garu suggested that we should think about period or historical themes, again. He wanted to surprise the audience with his making. Magadheera & Arundhati films were our inspiration to attempt such big budget themes at that point of time.

At that time I was in discussions with K.Raghavendra Rao garu for his new film titled Intinta Annamayya. One day J.K.Bharavi garu & K.Raghavendra Rao garu narrated a mythological subject Ravanabrahma. I was surprised and shocked when I heard the content of the subject and its histrionics. Bharavi garu is a very good story teller.

Immediately I referred his name to Sreenu vaitla garu. He sat with writer Bharavi garu who has very good knowledge on such themes. They both discussed about many mythological and historical themes.

Mahesh Babu was doing Khaleja and many changes were going on in the production side of the film. Pressure was building on everyone involved in Khaleja because of the delay due to various reasons. Mahesh Babu left the entire headache of finalizing the story on Vaitla ji and he got busy in Khaleja’s shooting. Mahesh Babu is a big fan of Sreenu Vaitla ji’s film ‘Anandam’. He also liked Sreenu Vaitla ji’s comic timing and humour. But neither he nor the producers pressurized Sreenu garu to do a film with his brand of comedy. Sreenu garu updated every phase of our discussions to Mahesh Babu. He supported, believed and trusted Sreenu Vaitla’s talent a lot. And he never said no or expressed any doubt on whatever Sreenu ji had narrated.

One day, Sreenu garu called me and said that we have to take a decision on finalizing the subject. He felt that it was not the right time for planning an epic film. Khaleja was getting delayed and everyone wanted our project to release atleast by summer of 2011. He spoke to many people, friends and distributors. Every one felt that Mahesh & Sreenu Vaitla combination was a fresh combination and many of them expected a hilarious entertainer.

By then, Namo Venkatesa had completed 75 days. Around this time Sreenu garu dropped the idea of doing an epic movie and he opted to work on a love story which we narrated him in the beginning of our discussions.

So, after few days of our initial discussions Sreenu Vaitla garu, Co Director Surya, writer Sreedhar Seepana, assistant directors Ramesh & Bobby Chowdhary and I planned a trip to Mahabhaleswar, near Pune where we stayed for a week or so....

To be continued...Stay Glued