'Tiger Nageswara Rao' is slated to be released in theatres on October 20. In this interview, director Vamsee reveals that Ravi Teja was so decisive upon listening to the script that he immediately asked him (the director) about his look.
The director, who has worked with an ensemble cast, also throws light on what went into deciding on the nature of the Dasara release. He is all praise for Mass Maharaja's energy levels and commitment. Vamsee also lauds producer Abhishek Agarwal's production values. "He is like a family member. He trusted me that I could mount a huge-canvas film like this one," Vamsee says.
Every filmmaker wants to make a commercial film, that too, a biopic. I have always wanted to do a biopic even though I want to make only a limited number of films in my number. Usually, biographical films are made about sportspersons, leaders, etc.
Nageswara Rao's life has been shrouded in mystery. People are curious about his life mainly because they don't know much about him. Every time I tried to learn about him, I got to know something new and exciting about him. That's what made me want to tell his story. While we know him as a thief, we don't know about his soul. Avinash Kolla's production design will be haunting.
Nageswara Rao had an emotion. He was a Robin Hood kinda personality. He was a dangerous man from one end. From the other end, he was a great human. He was an extreme character who was never in the middle.
It is tough to handle a biopic if people know the subject well. 'Mahanati' was difficult for that reason. The same goes for Nageswara Rao, about whom legends have been amplified for decades. I met with his family members and friends in writing the script. Rao's life events has no proof. That's why 'TNR' is based on true rumours, not true 'incidents'. Rao used to indulge in robberies after informing the police about his plans. A rumour says that he robbed valuables on a moving train. All these are exciting rumours.
Gajjala Prasad (Nassar) and Rao lived in the same town. They were considered rivals. 'TNR' doesn't have much screen space for Prasad.
The train robbery scene is set on the Rajahmundry Bridge. The rumours that I have heard about Rao have been elevated and heightened to suit the standards of today's cinema. I couldn't have made it as a 1980s movie.
Nupur Sanon was chosen because, as per the story, she is a Marwari character. I learned that some Marwari businessmen preferred the area (Stuartpuram) where these robberies took place because the businessmen bought items to be resold to others.
I come from an Editing background. I worked with Sreekar Prasad and Gautam Menon before becoming a director. The experience helped me control the budget.
'TNR' is a pan-India release that enjoys a long weekend advantage. The Tamil version has been distributed by Gnanavel Raja, who is a big name in Kollywood. In Hindi, Reliance Entertainment is doing it. Negotiations are on for the Kannada and Malayalam release.
The running time is nearly 172 minutes. This is a biopic and it needed the length. This is not just another commercial film. 'RRR' was nearly three hours long. After 'TNR' ends, I am pretty sure you will wish the film was ten minutes longer.
