'Arjuna Phalguna', starring Sree Vishnu as the hero, is produced by Matinee Entertainments. Ahead of the film's theatrical release on December 31, director Teja Marni talks about his product.
I had written this story before 'Johaar'. Due to the prevailing situation then, I couldn't take it forward. After 'Johaar', a number of offers came my way. I wanted to do a film in the backdrop of the Godavari. That's when I approached Sree Vishnu garu.
Initially, the title we had in mind was something else. I went in for the title 'Arjuna Phalguna' because it means something special. After we decided on the title, the wide span of the story got elevated. (In Hindu mythology, uttering the words 'Arjuna Phalguna' when a thunderstorm occurs will instill strength in the individual).
The hero's name is Arjun. He is an Arjuna only as long as he is in the village. Once he steps into the jungles, he becomes a Phalguna. For any film, the title plays a key role. It has to suit the story. After I chose the title, I made some changes to the story. I increased the quotient of action scenes. The span of the story went up. The producers were happy with the changes.
The story involves five friends, who want to make and save money in the village. They are not after an urban life.
The first one to come on board was the hero. The banner joined us later. The producers okayed the project as soon as they listened to the story. The film was on the floors within a month. Since they are passionate producers, they completed everything in time. The second wave of the pandemic did slow down things. The entire production works were completed in 55 days.
The shoot used to begin at 6 am every day. And we would shoot till the sunset. Everyone cooperated with us. I have been influenced by the directorial style of the movies of Vamsi garu and Krishna Vamsi garu. 'Arjuna Phalguna' reflects the culture and lifestyles of the people in the Godavari regions.
The main plot points, the turning points in the movie are real incidents that happened in the lives of my friends and their friends.
I didn't think of any other hero for the role. The story was written to suit Sree Vishnu garu's body language. He will remind you of Ravi Teja from 'Sindhuram'. All five friends in the movie are fans of Jr NTR.
The first half is rich in entertainment. The second half is a pack of thrills. The climax is emotional.
Since 'Johaar' was produced by me, I couldn't wait for the theatres to be reopened. So, I released it on OTT. 'Arjuna Phalguna' will be released by Dil Raju garu. There are lines about Jr NTR and 'RRR' in the movie. It's invariable that my movie should come out before 'RRR'.
I am doing movies for GA2 Pictures and Shine Screens. I want to do only commercial movies.
