'Ooru Peru Bhairavakona' has an element of the afterlife. Heading to theatres on February 16 (with premiers on February 14), the film is directed by Vi Anand.
In this interview, the director clarifies that Sundeep Kishan is not a superhero in the movie. "This is the journey of a thief with positive motivations. He gets locked in an unexpected situation in a village. The mystery behind the entrapment is the crux," the director adds.
"There is a twist of sorts. The interval block in my films has been appreciated. Even 'Okka Kshanam' and 'Disco Raja' had appreciable interval blocks. 'OPBK' too has one such block," the director claims.
I was supposed to make a film with Geetha Arts after 'Disco Raja'. That didn't shape up somehow. In 2022, I pitched a skeletal idea to Sundeep Kishan, which he liked. That's how 'OPBK' started. He had always wanted to do a supernatural fantasy after having done several other genres. In today's times, the audience are looking for big-screen experiences. This project needed a passionate producer. Razesh Danda (of 'Samajavaragamana' fame) was not yet a producer when we approached him. Hasya Movies' Production No. 1 this was. Anil Sunkara garu is a well-wisher and that's why he was brought on board.
People ask me why 'Ooru peru' was needed in the title. That's because Bhairavakona gets emphasis if it is preceded by the phrase 'Ooru peru'. You could say it's a sort of publicity gimmick. Garuda Puranam and four of its missing pages are an element of the film's premise. The journey of the spirits is detailed in the Puranam. What makes them happy, what can humans do to appease them... Everything is explained in the Puranam.
The principle of Karma undergirds the story of 'OPBK'. What goes around comes around. The male lead, while on a mission, gets trapped in a village named Bhairavakona. He faces a crisis of sorts. The story takes place over two nights.
The song 'Nijame Ne Chebutunna' has been a massive hit, garnering 100 million views. Sid Sriram has taken the song to the next level. It has added value to our promotions and is going to help us with superb openings.
'OPBK' is going to take big openings. The number of theatres in which it is getting released is high. Even 'Disco Raja' didn't get these many theaters.
We shot the film for 81 working days although the film was made over 2.5 years. Wastage was minimized. Each schedule was planned with care. CG shots got added in the last few months. Anil Sunkara garu supported our vision accordingly.
I am an architect by academic qualification. That's why the visual palette of my films has a certain edge. I am not usually conscious of that qualification unless my wife reminds me of my academic background. My wife, too, is an architect.
It has been ten years since I made a debut in films. I feel I should have done a couple of more films. Things got delayed for reasons that were not in my control. After 'Tiger', I did get a call from Allu Arjun garu. Story discussions went on for three months. The ideas that I pitched were not up to his expectations. After 'Okka Kshanam', communication between him and I recommenced. I used to call on him regularly. I pitched an alien story and an action-driven sci-fi film.
I am in discussions with Nikhil Siddhartha and it could be produced by Geetha Arts. It is in the pipeline. I am also writing a story for a big star.
