For NRIs to ponder
M.L. NARASIMHAMM.L.Narasimham
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Besides the message, the film promises the right dose of music, romance and family entertainment.
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MAKING MUSIC Saikiron and Akshitha in a cross-generational love story.
The lyricists' journey to filmmaking is as long as the road that leads from the city to the suburban Radhika Gardens on the Medchal road. Vaddepalli Krishna , the popular lyricist - turned- director is shooting at the sprawling gardens that you come across after crossing Dhola-ri-Dhani for his debut venture, Yekkadikeluthundo Manansu a sublime love story produced by Harish Kumar of Balaji Creations.
"It is the last day's shoot, why not you drop in," invites the director. We accept the offer with glee as spending time at garden locations like these make you feel more comfortable than the choking studio sets.
With its man-made waterfalls and lake, the ambience is ideally suited for film shoots. But more than these paraphernalia , it is the vast number of coconut trees amidst the green belt that immediately catches one's attention and gives a feel as if we are in the Konaseema belt. And a perfect place to film a song on the lead pair — Sai Kiron and debutante Akshitha. "The situation that leads to this song takes place in Konaseema," informs Krishna as he invites us. "It is also the title song," he continues, as choreographer Rajendra Prasad teaches the movements to Sai Kiron and Akshitha.
The director himself wrote the lyric while, Rajdeep composed the music. "You know Rajdeep is a Telugu settled in Mumbai and is also the nephew of Shankar (of the legendary Shankar-Jaikishan duo). He has added a new flavour to the music and the audio sale is good," says a pleased Krishna.
The song Yekkadikeluthundo Manasu... Yemaipothundo Premake Thelusu is played and the stars place their movements a bit faster as per the instructions from the choreographer, as Vasu's camera rolls to frame the sequence.
"Where your mind is wandering, only love knows, that explains the tone of the movie, a romantic musical family entertainer. By the way, we have given a tag line, `Premake Thelusu' to the title," says the director who has over hundred lyrics to his credit.
His repertoire includes hits like Peddarikam, and Bhairavadweepam. Krishna has a distinction of being the first to obtain a PhD for his thesis on light music songs in Telugu from Osmania University.
Rooted in nativity
"The theme is full of Telugu nativity and its traditions and only a director of the calibre of Vaddepalli Krishna who has a hold on the language, its cultural ethos can do justice to such theme. A song he wrote highlighting the Telugu language is a major high," chips in Saikiron. He plays a cardiologist.
"He along with his friend (played by producer Harish) return from U.S.A. to serve their native land," says Krishna.
"It is actually the story of three generations - Saikiron representing the present youth, his parents (Naresh and Uma Mahanti) and the heroine's grandfather (played by Ranganath). His love for his mother tongue and its rich traditional values brings him back to his native place. This Vamsi (the character's name in the film) by a chance meeting comes across the heroine at Annavaram and falls in love with his `Radha'."
"So most of the story takes place in the Konaseema area and we shot extensively in Annavaram and its surrounding places. Besides entertaining, the film leaves a message that those intellectuals who have migrated to other countries will have to comeback one day and serve their nation," says the debutant director.
He had earlier worked as an assistant director with Bhanumathi Ramakrishna (for Rachayithri) and Giduthuri Suryam (Amrutha Kalasam) and made a 13-part popular documentary drama, Bharatheeya Samskruthi Sikharaalu on the famous temples in south India for the Doordarshan besides penning a thousand lyrics for television and All India Radio.
Since it is the last day's shooting, the unit is working at a breakneck speed to complete the work. As we leave the beautiful garden Udit Narayan and Anuradha Sriram's mellifluous rendering of
Ekkadikeluthundo Manasu... reverberates and followed us.
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Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
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