Interview: Surender Reddy
Jul 24, 2006, 00:21




Young director Surender Reddy shot into the limelight with his first film, Atanokkade. He proved his mettle with his very first film and
became hot property after its critical and commercial success. Among the young directors he is best known for the effective use of 'technique'. Hence his team up with hero NTR for Ashok raised high expectations. With the film now running successfully, he is much relived man to 'overcome the second movie syndrome'.

He is now in Tirupathi paying 'thanks' to Lord Venkateshwara. I have been in touch with Surender since Atanokkade but he is inclined to do interview after the Ashok's release. The director speaks to Telugucinema.com about Ashok, his journey, rumors linking him with Sindu Tulani and much more. Read our exclusive interview..

Sri : How is the response for Ashok?

Surender : Intial reports are pretty good. I must say one thing, even before we resumed shooting, we predicted that it would be a 10-week film. And it proved right. As of now the collections are steady in all areas. I heard that the film is a big hit in overseas market too. On the whole, we are happy with the success.

Sri : Before Atanokkade happened, no one knew you? How did you get interested in cinema?

Surender : Since childwood, I was very fascinated about films. Even while I was in high school, I used to watch lot of films. So that interest grew as I grew. I was born and brought up in Macinapalli village and did my schooling there. Then I joined college in Warangal but could not complete as my heart was beating for films. So I discontinued studies joined with T. Prabhakar for the film - Jai Bhajaranga Bhali as an assistant. After assisting another film for him, I joined Kranthi Kumar and worked for him for five films - Paduta Tiyyaga, Subba Raju Gari Kutumbam, Preminchedi Endukamma, Arundhati and 9 Nelalu.

Sri : But Preminchedi Endukamma was not Kranti Kumar's film!

Surender : The film was produced on Kranti Kumar's banner and directed by John Mahendra. John later directed Neeto with Raghavendra Rao's son Suryaprakash as hero. That was the last film that I worked as associate. And I started scouting for opportunities as a director.

Sri : Who did you approach before Kalyan Ram had come forward to launch you as director with Atanokkade?

Surender : I met producers – 'Dil' Raju, Sudhakar Reddy (Nitin's father ) and others. Also I met Uday kiran, who was hot property at that time and Jagapathi Babu while he was working for Kabaddi Kabaddi. But nothing worked. Actually, there is nothing to blame anyone. I looked 'non-serious' then. So they might have thought I was not worth (laughs).

Then I approached my good friend Kalyan Ram. Actually, I was supposed to direct his second film, as we have been good friends right from his first film but some how it did not work. Kalyan finally decided to go ahead with Atanokkade by turning himself as producer.


Sri : So the gamble paid off!

Surender : Its not a gamble but the trust we had on each other and on the subject. He believed in me and I on him. So we understand each other perfectly and we were good friends from the beginning.

Sri : Ashok was announced last year. But it released a year later. Why this much delay?

Surender : True. Even I wanted to finish films fast. I don't like making films for years. But Ashok is essentially an action movie and all the action movies tend to take too much time. And then we had date problems with Prakash Raj, which held the film for a month and half, and then Digital Intermediative (DI) was done in Mumbai that took almost two months. Those are the factors for the delay.

Sri: You had shown NTR in rather different way. He looked stylish in appearance and his acting style is very mellowed down. What made you to project him as in chic manner.

Surender: Until now, NTR had not much fans base in Class audiences. He is a huge mass star. And all his films are mass oriented ones. So we (NTR and me) consciously decided to departure from the regular style. Though we didn't show him in complete different avatar. For the NTR's costumes, the credit should go to his personal designer Sahil. He has really worked hard.

Sri: What was NTR's feedback after the film?

Surender: A week before its release, NTR had said that Ashok is a director's movie in the presence of several directors and film personalities who attended the show. "Ashok is only director's movie', he said. Being a such big star, appreciating a technician wholeheartedly is great gesture. I am really thankful to him for encouraging me throughout the film.

Sri : But we heard you had differences with the NTR during the shooting..

Surender : There were creative differences but neither of us had any problem with them. Eventually we sorted out those creative differences. They are not personal ones – just creative ones.

Sri: Music and cinematography are real highpoints in the film. Can you tell about the technicians' contribution.

Surnder: Manisharma is the best in the industry as per as re-recording is concerned. And he knows the pulse of mass audiences. He has given splendid music for Atanokkade too. For Ashok, he is the first man who brought the positive talk about the film before its release. Songs were hit before it hit the screens and his re-recording helped in carrying emotions.

The one person I should mention specially is our cinematographer Senthil Kumar. He has already proven his mettle but with Ashok he has proved what a terrific technician that he is. Today everyone is talking about the opening rain sequence. We have used 500 frames speed to get that slow effect of rain dropping. Remember, we didn't use it for other action sequences. We used 500 frames speed for 'rain sequences in opening and climax'. Because 'rain' on screen is effective only it is dropped 'very slow'.

Everyone in the industry is praising it and our Senthil deserves praise for his work.

Sri : Some of the negative comments about the film are lack of comedy, heroine and excessive violence!

Surender : I agree with all of these comments. Entertainment values are not much in the film. We had shot some comedy scenes but were forced to chop them off as the film had already become lengthy. And if we put separate comedy track, it would hamper the flow of the film. Regarding the heroine, I must say it is a miscast. I will reduce the impact of violence in my forthcoming films.

Sri: You must have a flair for 'Quentin Torantanio' style of narrating the film (telling it in back and forth)!

Surender: (laughs). In my first film it really had great impact. People thought it is innovative. In Ashok, there is not much story. I wanted to narrate with technique and using engrossing narrative styles. That's it. There is no influence of Quentin's on me. I will apply the narrative styles according to the storyline.

Sri: Okay, leaving films aside. What is happening on the personal front?

Surender: Personal life is also cool.

Sri: But rumors are flowing thick and fast that heroine Sindhu Tolani and you are an 'item'.

Surender : As you said they are rumors. We are good friends. Nothing more than that. As you know, how gossips roam in industry, it is one of them.

Sri : So you are not getting married to her!

Surender : (laughs) Yeah sure. we are only friends and not getting married. If anything happens I will let you know before. I do not have problem in saying it in public if i am getting married.

Sri: What is your next film?

Surender: There is a project with hero Mahesh Babu under finalisation. It will be decided in a 10 days. We are still under process of discussions.

Sri: But media is speculating that your making a film titled Athithi with him!

Surender: I don't know how it had all started and how they write without contacting me. Athithi is one of the many titles that I own. The title is mine but I myself don't know whether I use this to Mahesh's or not. Everything will be finalized after 10 days.

- Interviewed by Sri Atluri