Saga of a super cop
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Based on a Kannada hit, `Thegimpu' revolves around a honest cop and a frustrated `Gang of four' friends.
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Have you heard of a bhooth bungalow in the aristocratic Jubilee Hills area? Well... the house is a famous location to picturise celluloid dreams. Chiranjeevi's Shankar Dada M.B.B.S being the latest film to be shot there. Producer G. Vinitha Reddy of Siva Nagajyothi Films found it an ideal location to shoot the climax of their action flick, Thegimpu, with Sriman and Karuna in the lead. It is based on the Kannada hit, Mouna Sangrama directed by Mohan Mallapalli who is now making his Telugu debut.
Anand Vithal, another first timer in Telugu films is busy capturing an intriguing sequence on his camera as the lead pair is locked in a duel with the baddies - Abhinayasri, Rajendra Babu, Rami Reddy and Sakunthala. Also spotted on the scene are pivotal actors Narasimha Raju and Kavitha. As the director wants to have a different shot in the same location, the camera crew makes plans adjusting the equipment to the desired area.
Climax shot
Sriman, the scene-stealer in Kamal Haasan's Panchatantram and Brahmachari takes the opportunity to attend to a call on his mobile. The affable actor smiles and says, "he is from your tribe." His hairdo and attire shows that he is playing a cop in the movie.
Sriman turning the battery operated mini fan towards us briefly narrates the plot. The fan is a must on location for actors to stay cool and keep sweat away from their make up. "This young man becomes an ACP in a short time. Idealistic and powerful he longs to do something for the society. But runs into problems created by his college mates, a frustrated lot, who call themselves `Gang of Four.' What we are shooting now is part of the climax. With a taut storyline and screenplay and well crafted characters, I am hopeful that this role of an ACP will get me a berth in Telugu films too."
The director calls him for the shot. Sriman listens intently to the assistant director holding the script, before facing the camera. It is evident, he believes in spot improvisation.
From the dialogue it is also evident that Rajendra Babu (who played hero in a couple of films and is now doing negative roles as well) and Abhinayasri are part of the gang of four.
Karuna's maiden role
Mohan Mallapalli started his career as an apprentice with the Krishna-Sridevi starrer, Samajaniki Sawal, 28-years ago. "In all these years I have worked with many actors. To me Sriman is very good as as he can adapt to the role in a jiffy. For Karuna, it is her first film as a heroine. We needed a traditional looking girl for the role of a devout person and Karuna is the apt choice. Besides Anand's camera work, Lakshmi Vinayak's music is worth mentioning. Of the four songs he composed, two songs were filmed on Abhinayasri, one a duet on the hero and heroine and the other an eerie song that will chill your nerves. Narsing Yadavhas done an amazing job in a comic part," says Mallapalli. He adds that with the day's work, the shoot comes to a close. "That means in 24 days we have completed the entire shooting including songs and action scenes," smiles the director. Sriman chips in to say, "Except for five days we have worked 16 to 17 hours a day that means stretching the call sheet till midnight."
That's how films have to be made to gain from the recent changes in the tax structure, opines the director. He is planning to make two more films in similar fashion, mostly with Sriman. The pack up time is nearing as the day's work is almost coming to an end. The tag line for the film is `Beyond Limits.' How far it will stretch beyond the limits of box office can only be felt in July when the film plays on the screens.
M.L. NARASIMHAN
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