Director Rama Raju was lauded for his film Mallela Theeram Lo Sirimalle Puvvu. He is now come with his latest film Oka Manasu staring Naga Shourya and Niharika Konidela. The film hits theatres on 24th June. The director tells us about Oka Manasu and more...
It has been almost a year since your last film’s release. Why this delay?
For one year I was thinking about quitting this industry. Cinema is art but this industry is too commercial. It took me almost an year to understand this fact.
What made you do Oka Manasu?
The charm about love stories is that how much ever films you watch this is one genre that will always be there with us. We recall some beautiful love stories even years after their release. This story will surely excite the audiences. It has been told beautifully. I have spent my life watching love stories.
Why Niharika?
Initially Niharika was not in my mind for this role. I went to Samantha. She liked the story but had no dates. Then I approached Regina. She too was busy. It was Madhura Sridhar who suggested Niharika’s name. When I found out more about her, I realized that I found the leading woman for this film.
She being a mega actress, did it scare you?
Initially I was worried, what it will be like directing her. But as days passed by I felt she is ideal and went ahead with her. Niharika got so much into this character that sometimes when I called her Niha she would not respond. Only when I called her Sandhya (character name), she would reciprocate.
Tell us more about Oka Manasu?
It’s a love story which is very clean and pure. Not something that you have seen before. Commercial elements will not be seen here. A good movie on love made with good faith is how I would describe it.
Future projects?
I am doing a film with the same production house. Will reveal more details later.
