Anil Ravipudi says that he has hit the reset button in terms of giving primacy to realistic treatment instead of loud treatment. "Even larger-than-life action sequences are realistic in 'Bhagavanth Kesari'," the 'F2' and 'Pataas' director says, adding that the fun doesn't cross the boundaries.
The director is all praise for Nandamuri Balakrishna, whose character holds a few surprises in the film, which hits the cinemas on October 19. "Despite being a legend, he used to address me as 'Guruvu garu' on set," Ravipudi says, clarifying that there are no political dialogues for the sake of it in the film. "I stay away from controversies," the 'Raja The Great' maker says.
Although I have done entertainers with emotional scenes and drama in the past, 'Bhagavanth Kesari' is my first intense drama where emotions take precedence over the entertainment aspect. Having done six films in the past, I feel I am bowing a new over altogether. So, 'Bhagavanth Kesari' marks my second innings as a director.
Like 'Sarileru Neekevvaru', 'BK' too has an Army backdrop. The titular character wants to make his niece (Sree Leela) a strong-willed girl. He wants to bring her up with the attitude of a lioness. The Army backdrop would be fresh, unlike the police backdrop. Almost 50,000 women are woking in the Indian Army in civilian roles. In 'Gunjan Saxena', too, there was a military touch with a female protagonist. The changing Army policy to include girls in the military also influenced me to go in for this backdrop. A few docudramas also inspired me in a way.
With Balakrishna garu, you can experiment with resolve. He loved the concept of bringing up a strong-willed girl. He becomes a fatherly figure to the girl, who has become weak in her thinking for some reason. The drama involving the duo will be haunting.
I love the Telangana dialect and language. It is frank and sharp. And these features suit Balayya garu's onscreen attitude. That's why I chose the Telangana backdrop. A lot of dialogues are close to his off-screen nature. For example, Balayya garu is a sport when it comes to people trolling his singing talent. I infused that scene to bring out his sportive nature. You won't see the influence of Balayya garu's previous roles in 'BK'. Everything will feel fresh.
'Bro, I don't care!' couldn't have been the title. Films named after the male protagonist are remembered for long. Think of 'Shiva', for example. If you want to generate fun, you have to know the pulse of the audience. Phrases and one-liners like 'Shappudu jeyaku' will definitely become popular.
In 'BK', the hero doesn't wield weapons materialized from thin air. The weapons he uses are drawn from the atmosphere the fight is set. There are action blocks filled with fun and drama. Proper fight scenes are only three in 'BK'.
It is true that Kajal Aggarwal is not seen much in the trailer. A separate teaser we are going to release soon will show her prominently. It will be out soon. The actress may not have a full-fledged role in 'BK' but she makes an impact for the time she is seen.
The story is partly set in Warangal. A couple of scenes had to be shot using CG because Balayya garu couldn't allot time due to the prevailing political turmoil (due to the arrest of CBN).
Jaya Chitra garu and Sharath Babu garu will be seen in supporting roles. Arjun Ramphal is the villain.
Sahu Garapati garu and Harish Peddi garu gave me advance way back in 2016. They waited for five years for my dates. They are friendly and accessible. Shine Screens is one of the best banners.
As a director, I want to do all kinds of films, including a 'Swathi Muthyam' type of movie. I want to do a lady-oriented project as well. My focus is on directing. If something exciting comes up, I can be the showrunner of a project.
