Ready for action
M.L. NARASIMHAM
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Choreographer Rajasekhar is now at the helm of `Ranam' as its director.
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LOVE BIRDS Gopichand and Kamna Jethmalani in a song sequence.
A part of the Sarathi studios is converted into a tiny rural hamlet. The circular huts and the mud walls decorated with rangoli add to the ambience. The set is specially created for Eetharam Films' Ranam (War), produced by Pokuri Baburao. Hero Gopichand wears a shocking pink designer shirt and bright blue trousers, a bracelet and gold chains, sporting dark glasses and looking every inch a village `babu'. Heroine Kamna Jethmalani in a pink blouse and skirt with coloured glass pieces embedded on the embroidered motifs matches his style statement. They are both surrounded by a group of dancers.
After Prabhudeva and Lawrence, it's the turn of one more choreographer, Rajasekhar, to set his eyes on filmmaking. Incidentally, he made his debut as a choreographer under the same banner with the movie Maa Aayana Bangaram.
"It was after watching Gopichand's performance in a negative role in Jayam that Rajasekhar wrote a story about a hero with negative shades to his character. After watching Gopichand as a hero in Yagnam he wrote another story and read it out to him. Gopi liked it and narrated it to me. The freshness in the theme appealed to me. He then worked on the script for six months before we commenced the shoot," says Baburao. It is an advantage if a director can do the choreography as well."
The Eetharam banner is known for its issue-based films that create a sense of social awareness amongst its viewers. "This time around we are looking at a purely commercial format. No issues are involved and it is not a war between two factions or between a privileged oppressor and an underprivileged sufferer. In fact, I was toying with the idea of putting in at least some element of ideology that our banner is committed to. I tried it for two months but gave up finally as I found the original flavour of the subject may be lost."
The shoot commences. The hero is good at his steps even in the company of the pretty Kamna. "I know where you are getting at," smiles Baburao. "The title may suggest the theme has plenty of action episodes. There are action scenes but the background is not on factions or rivalry between two groups. It is a war between two individuals - a goonda who creates fear in others with his savage behaviour and a young college student who does not know what fear means. Gopichand's character relies both - on brawn and brain - as he uses force only when absolutely required. Otherwise he only uses his brainpower to defeat the villain's ploys. Malayalam film star Biju Menon plays the villain in his first assignment in Telugu," says Rao.
Going by the lyrics, the song being filmed seems to be a part of a dream of the lead pair. "The heroine, also a college student, is quite puzzled at the character of the hero, at one time he looks kind and charming, and at other times he is ferocious and plays mind games to score a win over his rivals - all these qualities in one man puzzle her. Fascinated by the hero she breaks into a song in her imagination," explains the ace producer.
"This is the fifth song we are shooting. In the sixth and last song, 50 male and female dancers and 200 junior artistes will also participate. Rajasekhar will prove his mettle as a director and his narrative will keep the audience guessing about each sequence in the film. We are coming soon to give you a much needed whiff of fresh air," concludes a confident looking Baburao.
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