'Raja Vikramarka' heads to the theatres on November 12. Starring Kartikeya Gummakonda and others, it is directed by Sri Saripalli. In this interview, the director talks about his background, why his film is unique, his future plans, and more.
Excerpts:
I completed the Master of Filmmaking course at a prominent studio in the US. I worked on a few Hollywood movies, which are small ones. I joined the team of VV Vinayak garu and worked on 'Nayak', followed by several other movies.
'Raja Vikramarka' is about a new recruit of the NIA. Someone dies after revealing half the needed information in connection with a high-profile case. The hero has to figure out the other half. That's the premise of the movie.
The film is a blend of action and comedy. You don't find action blocks in which the hero bashes up 20 goons. It has action of another kind. There are chases and gunfights. 'Mission Impossible' is one of the inspirations. Nagarjuna garu's 'Nirnayam' was an action film of a different kind. My film is different in its own way. The story of the second half of our movie spans over 36 hours.
The comedy in the film is not slapstick. It's situational and the irony in a scene becomes a source of humour. We didn't change the story because of the pandemic. We only enhanced some blocks because we had ample time.
I had seen Kartikeya during the promotions of 'RX 100' for the first time. Luckily, his demeanor suited the character of the lead man.
While there have been films based on NIA investigations, the story of 'Raja Vikramarka' is not too high-profile. It's not too serious about itself. The country is not at stake and it's not a huge national security issue that we are dealing with. At the same time, NIA needs to be there in the fray. It's not true that NIA is involved only in investigating potential terror threats/incidents. They handle a lot of other security issues.
Yes, I have taken a few cinematic liberties. At the same time, it's not laughable at all. The drama is tight.
'Raja Vikramarka' is the title of an old Chiranjeevi movie. We haven't compromised and put the title for the sake of it. By the time we decided on the title, 70% of the shoot was over. The title is apt for the story. I would have gone for the title even if it was not a Chiranjeevi title.
Sai Kumar garu has played a nice character. Sudhakar Komakula has got a full-fledged character. His is one of the most important characters. Every major character is relevant to the story.
From director VV Vinayak garu, I learned the importance of planning thoroughly. He doesn't shoot wasteful frames. He puts in excellent preparation ahead of commencing the shoot. His movies are a strong combination of both entertainment and action. I like it about them.
'Raja Vikramarka' needed a new-age music director to compose RR. And Prashanth R Vihari has nailed it. He was excited and got on board. We are extremely satisfied with his BGM.
