Nithiin doesn't want the audience to believe that 'Macherla Niyojakavargam' a mass actioner. There is much more to the film, and he likes to call it a wide-ranging film where comedy in the first half is pivotal. In this interview, the 'Rang De' and 'Check' actor talks about the August 12th theatrical release at length.
The film stars Krithi Shetty as the heroine. Samuthirakani is its main villain and Catherine Tresa has a role.
I have done 'MN' not because of strategic thinking or something. I have been bored of love stories. That's why I wanted to do a full-length commercial film. 'MN' has me in a powerful role. It's replete with mass elements.
While being a political story on one level, 'MN' has got a new point. It's commercial yet different. I took extra care to get the fights right. There are mass elements, the comedy involving Vennela Kishore is top-notch. The family emotions are another plus.
It's me who prodded editor Sekhar to become a director. I was impressed with his editing work for 'LIE'. As an editor, he knows how to steer clear of wasteful shots. He knows how to be efficient. He was an editor before. And he is a director now. If something goes wrong, he will have to go back to editing. That's why I want this film to work for him, more than for me.
'MN' is a fictional story. When the director narrated the story to Samuthirakani garu, he said that a similar incident had happened somewhere in Tamil Nadu.
We shot the film in Hyderabad and Vizag. The songs were shot in foreign locations. Prasad Murella's cinematography is amazing. Coming to music, remixing 'Ranu Ranu' from 'Jayam' for 'Ra Ra Reddy' was my idea. I have danced to three songs in this film. Mahathi Swara Sagar has given superb music. The BGM is another highlight. He makes us forget Mani Sharma garu.
In the pandemic era, it has become hard to understand the audience's mood swings. They are watching films only if they are enamoured of the teaser, trailer, or songs. It can't be predicted which film will work and which won't.
'Vikram' was produced in Telugu by my father. After I watched 'Vikram', I couldn't sleep for a week. I felt a movie has to be like that. It has to be totally different. We need to break away from conventions.
Flops are a part of career. I once googled and learned that Akshay Kumar and Hrithik Roshan have got the maximum flops to their credit. We need to learn from such stars. Sometimes, trolling does hurt. But I take even trolling in the right spirit.
My view is that you can't plan a pan-Indian project. You need to land the right story for that. If the right story comes my way, I am game!
My next film is going to be with Vakkantham Vamsi. Nothing else has been finalized as yet.