Actor-writer Siddhu Jonnalagadda awaits the release of 'DJ Tillu' on February 12. In this interview, the 'Krishna And His Leela' actor talks about writing the film, headlining it as an actor, working with director Vimal Krishna and the reputed production house Sithara Entertainments, his background, and more.
I come from a simple middle-class family. My father works for BSNL, my mother was with All India Radio. My brother works in the US. In Engineering, I was placed in a corporate company. We were staying near Madhapur. I didn't feel like taking up the job. I can't do a 9-to-5 job.
'DJ Tillu' is a love story with a crime element thrown in. The idea was to make the love story the primary aspect of the film. I have written into the screenplay real-life characters I observed since childhood. The characters come with accentuated eccentricity for the purpose of entertainment.
The characters are drawn from my experiences. They speak in one way when they are drunk and otherwise when they are not. They live in places like Secunderabad. Their language and demeanour are unique. They endlessly while away time sipping chai at the Irani cafes. At the same time, they are sweet and honest people who help out others in need. They are genuine but crazy in the way they speak and behave.
DJ Tillu is a proper Telangana youngster. When he gets emotional in an extreme way, he breaks into cuss words. Tillu is not a great talent. He is a mediocre DJ who earns a max of Rs 10K per month. He is boastful with no vision for the future. Tillu is immature and the people around him are immature. Since he can't afford an affluent lifestyle, he also develops an inferiority complex. He becomes a victim of his own mindset.
I didn't approach the story in a disciplined, conventional manner. I wrote the lines on the go as I interacted with different people and minds like Trivikram garu. We wrote the story during the lockdown in 2020. It's a phase when we didn't know when the lockdown was going to come to an end.
When I am with my friends, I get to live like a common man. They make me do chores. They don't let me feel that I am a film actor. 'Narudi Brathuku Natana' was the first title. But we changed the title to 'DJ Tillu' because those who knew about my character started calling me Tillu.
Producer S Naga Vamsi anna was the first one to listen to the story. He is a man of very few words. But when he opens his mouth, it's a blast! Despite 'DJ Tillu' being a comical script, he didn't laugh at all. Even for a big joke, he merely smiles. After listening to the story, he said that he will be producing the movie. That's when I understood that he liked the story. S China Babu garu and Trivikram garu too listened to the story after him. Both felt that this film needs to be made for theatres. All three of them gave suggestions while asking us (me and director Vimal Krishna) to interpret the scenes in our own way. Sithara is a banner that has done 'Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo' and 'Jersey'. It was a huge responsibility.
I was very confident that the trailer will work for sure. Ram Miriyala and Sricharan Pakala's songs were another highlight I have been betting on from the beginning.
We have plans to make Part 2 if 'DJ Tillu' becomes a hit. It has the potential to become a franchise. Everything depends on how well the audience receive the film. I am excited and feeling blank ahead of the release of 'DJ Tillu' in theatres. At the same time, I am not scared.
It's not like I am going to write the dialogues for all my upcoming movies. I am not a writer by choice. I am a writer borne out of the desperation that I was not receiving film offers. If and when I conceive unique ideas, I will do the writing part myself. I don't know yet if I am a good enough writer to write for other actors/heroes.
I and director Vimal Krishna have been good friends. We know what is on each other's minds. It helped that we got to work under Sithara Entertainments. We bothered only about writing. It's a youngish, flashy movie. A writer has to exaggerate things in order to make something entertaining.
'DJ Tillu' was a tougher film to write than to act. On-spot improvization was done a lot of times. Tillu talks a lot, whatever may be his mood. He is seen talking throughout the length of the film. Tillu is stupid. Eventually, he comes of age and says something profound in the climax. You haven't seen anything in the trailer.
I haven't had a word with the senior journalist who posed that question (about Neha Shetty) at the trailer launch event. I didn't want to dignify his question by giving an answer. Many people felt that I should have given a hard-hitting answer. I don't enjoy having negative vibes with anyone. I would like to believe that the question was not intentionally demeaning. We all make mistakes. I gave a written reply after a couple of days. I want my film to be talked about for its content. 'DJ Tillu' shouldn't be judged before you watch it. Don't judge a book by its cover. It's a youthful film but it doesn't mean that you ask any question assuming things.
