Naga Shaurya's 'Krishna Vrinda Vihari' awaits its theatrical release on September 23. Its director Aneesh R Krishna has previously made 'Ala Ela', 'Lover', and 'Gaali Sampath'.
In this interview, the young filmmaker talks about Naga Shaurya's character, the female lead Shirley Setia (a singer-actress from New Zealand), working with seniors like Radhika Sarathkumar, the presence of many comedians, and more.
It was in February 2020 that I pitched the story to Naga Shaurya. Usually, my Assistant Director narrates my stories. For the first time, I gave the narration by myself. After listening to the script, Shaurya offered to produce the movie on his home banner. This time, I am coming out with a strong story.
There is a concealed plot point in the movie. You have to watch it on the big screen. The base idea behind the plot came from someone I know. There is a reveal but I can't call it a big twist. It's an entertaining idea. The fun factor gets multiplied once the reveal unfolds.
The story is about the journey of the Krishna-Vrinda duo. That explains the title. Krishna is a Brahmin male and comparisons with some previous films are ruled out. Jr NTR, Kamal Haasan, Nani and Allu Arjun approached Brahmin roles in their own ways. Naga Shaurya has done so with a touch of innocence and simplicity. He is also naughty and slightly mischievous. He has marshalled his own experience in portraying the character. The story was not written keeping anyone in mind.
There have been gaps in my career. This is my fourth film since I made a debut as a filmmaker eight years ago. I come with no prior experience in the direction department. I took the plunge and became a director directly with 'Ala Ela'. I worked on my skills before approaching Dil Raju garu and that's how 'Lover' happened.
The 'Pada Yatra' idea to promote 'KVV' came from the hero. He believes that 'KVV' has great potential and that's why he wants to promote the movie by moving among people. The response has been tremendous.
Handling comedy is no child's play. The comedy in 'Ala Ela' clicked; at that time, I didn't know much. I just went with the flow. After years of experience, I know how to rev up comedy portions. 'KVV' is also lifted by many talented artists (like Vennela Kishore, Rahul Ramakrishna, Satya, and Brahmaji).
Shirley Setia is new to Telugu. She has previously done 'Nikamma' and a web original in Hindi. We chose her because Vrinda is a North Indian woman who migrates to the South. She has a playful character.
I did 'Gaali Sampath' because my friend Sai was its writer and producer. It was meant to be an OTT project. I am not disappointed over its failure. We always knew it was meant to click in theatres.
I am going to speed up my career; I will be doing films at a faster clip. I have lined up a few ideas. I have written a dark humour. I have no cast in mind as of now.
