'Mangalavaaram', slated to be released in theatres on November 17, is touted to be a thriller with a shocking second half. Starring Payal Rajput as the protagonist, the Ajay Bhupathi directorial is a pan-Indian release.
In this interview, the film's producers say that the multi-lingual release has been planned meticulously. "The hype is wow. The success flavour has already been felt. Last night, we closed the Tamil Nadu territory deal. The distributor (Trident Ravi) there was wowed by the trailer," the producers reveal in this chit-chat.
Swathi Reddy Gunupati:
Our entry into the film industry couldn't have been more perfect. Right from a young age, I have been curious about cinema, especially the story narration aspect. After I joined MAA TV and started working with Suresh Varma garu, my interest in Entertainment only doubled. I always wanted to debut in cinema in collaboration with him. I am a mother of two and have been into multiple business lines as well. That's why I took the time to enter the film industry.
I like light-hearted movies and comedies more. Thrillers are not my cup of tea usually. But when Ajay Bhupathi narrated 'Mangalavaaram', I was intrigued. I listened to the story with biases. A particular element has been treated in a novel way.
The budget did go up but the scale was demanded to execute the film as per the grand vision our director had in mind. These days, intriguing thrillers have been lapped up by the audience. We are happy that we have already made 'table profit'. The industry has been supportive. We are energized by the positive buzz ahead of the movie's release.
I am grateful that Allu Arjun attended the pre-release event. I have known him since my college days when my college pressured me into inviting Arjun for a fest (laughs). He attended the event after my father (Nimmagadda Prasad) and his father (Allu Aravind) talked about it with each other. Even though he didn't know me personally, he was kind enough to grace the event. That's when our friendship took birth.
The making process of 'Mangalavaaram' was a learning experience. The film was shot in Atreyapuram, mostly in night effect. The pre-production was diligently done. It was clear that our director had a bounded script and extreme clarity of thought.
For Payal's role, the director auditioned 30-40 girls. Somehow, Payal kept coming to our minds time and again. But her sheer determination instilled confidence in her ability. After a 'look test', we roped her in. She really outdid herself. It was not easy for her to get into and out of the character.
We might do films with big stars in the future. I know some stars but I first need to gain experience. I don't want to mix friendship and business. I am in a happy space. I am glad that Chiranjeevi garu and Arjun supported our movie. Megastar's social media post while digitally releasing the trailer for 'Mangalavaaram' was touching! Many people came to know about my identity only after his post.
As a new producer, I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself. I feel lucky that everything fell into place for 'Mangalavaaram'. I got a peek into the perspective of Bhupathi about different things in life. I got to watch music director Ajaneesh B Loknath of 'Kantara' fame work.
I have been involved in a few business lines, including the semi-conductor business. I got to multi-task in the last one year or so. I would shift to discussions related to 'Mangalavaaram' and enjoy the process of handling business and doing cinema. I believe in business with a humane face. At the same time, I come with a keen economic sense. I have always worked with men and women who are much older than me in age. Thanks to my upbringing, I have always had a strong risk appetite. My husband jokes that I and my father are always hungry for more!
Suresh Varma M:
Before 'Mangalavaaram' came my way, I did listen to a couple of stories. Since I am related to director Ajay Bhupathi, I got to listen to the story of 'Mangalavaaram'. He wanted to do the film as one of the producers. He approached me with the offer to join hands with him. That's how the journey began.
Even though 'Mangalavaaram' is a dark thriller, you will find elements like love and comedy as well. This is not a regular film but the package is wholesome. Each character has an emotional undercurrent. Even characters with a 5-minute screen presence are meaningful in this film.
When this script was narrated, 'Kantara' was yet to be released. Bhupathi designed the face mask and all in a thrilling fashion. He is a sensible person who is budget-conscious.
We are not bothered about success and failure. Our boss (Nimmagadda Prasad) has always trained us to enjoy the process. We followed this philosophy at MAA TV.
We have an idea to make a second part of 'Mangalavaaram'. Our director is calling it an 'extension'.
