'Game On', starring Geetanand and Neha Solanki, is written and directed by Dayanandh. The psychological thriller drama features grey characters in an edgy setting.
In this interview, the director talks about the nature of the thriller, suggesting that it is both emotional and intelligent. He throws light on the ideas we can expect from this February 2nd release.
It was Sekhar Kammula's 'Happy Days' that created interest in films. 'Ye Maya Chesave' was another game-changer for me. I made a short film while in Intermediate, which helped me bag a scholarship in a filmmaking course. While in Degree, I did a course at the Annapurna Film School in Hyderabad. I worked with some filmmakers later. I collaborated with a writer named Vijay who worked on 'Baahubali'. The screenplay of 'Game On' was developed in association with him. Given my inclinations and interests, I can't make a regular film.
'Game On' has an intriguing premise of a person trapped into playing a game. Someone who wants to die by suicide wakes up on a day and finds a housefly pestering him. He gets a call where the person on the line tells him he will be gifted Rs 1 lakh if he kills the fly. He does it and finds the promised money credited to his account. He is then trapped into finishing the nine-stage game.
The emotions in 'Game On' are raw. What happens when a person is traumatized and whether the game he is cajoled into playing helped him come out of the phase would be interesting to watch. A sibling experiences pain because his other sibling was favoured while he was discriminated against by his parents.
The game template has been chosen because it is refreshing. There is no inspiration as such. The template fits into the story I had written. 'Game On' is also aware of the PubG craze.
Aditya Menon is a cerebral character in the movie. He is a nice performer and his personality fits the bill. That's why we chose him. Madhoobala was chosen because she is a dignified character.
I planned the pre-production tightly. If it is a one-minute scene, I wrote it to the T so that the writing reflects the running time. The budget didn't go up beyond the 10% mark (the planned budget). The VFX is realistic in the movie despite the game template. The tasks are accomplished by the protagonist, requiring the use of VFX.
The heroine's character is full of surprises. It is not a regular role. She is the second hero of 'Game On'. She is not a typical, bubbly girl type. The moment Neha enters the screen, you will find her attractive.
The producer gave me complete freedom. I had plans to rent a piece of equipment at Rs 5 lakh per day. He was ready to spend but I avoided the expenditure in the end.
We are planning to release 'Game On' on 150 screens on February 2. My confidence is that the 'word of mouth' will result in new screens being added. At two hours and ten minutes, the film is racy and never bores you. Sri Vijaya Films is distributing our film in Andhra. V Cinemas from the Dil Raju stable is releasing in Nizam. The OTT deal will be done in a couple of days.
