Showing the third angle to the love triangle with an emotional subtext.
Comic and emotional ‘Satyabhama’ brings together the ‘Missamma’ pair Bhumika and Sivaji.
Outside it is searingly hot. Surprisingly, it is cool on the floor at Sarathi Studios, thanks to an innovative set created for a romantic song being filmed for Lucky Media’s Sathyabhama directed by debutant Sri Hari Nanu. Lead star Sivaji and newcomer Nimisha are on the sets. Before going for the take, the director has long a discussion with choreographer Raj. Guided by the choreographer’s assistant, Sivaji and Nimisha practice their steps. T
he song is played from the nagra. Kausalya’s husky voice booms to the melodious tune set by Chakri for Bhaskarabhatla’s lyric - Pyar karo pyar karo… The choreographer takes command and once the camera whirrs the direc
tor watches his lead actors perform on the monitor.
“I do not want to call it a path-breaking love story or any such thing,” laughs producer Bekkem Venugopal. “The Sivaji and Bhumika starrer is a love story narrated from a new angle tackling a problem the lovers face. Nimisha plays the second lead. She is crazily in love with the hero. She tries every means to entice him this is one such scene where she sings to woo him. The set is designed by art director Nagendra to create that romantic atmosphere.”
Sivaji sports a new hairstyle. “Even his role ekes newness. Bhumika plays the title role. But this Sathyabhama is not the Sathyabhama we read in mythology. Her role, like Sivaji’s, is bubbly and emotional. The characters
compliment each other. I cannot reveal much more at this stage. All I can say is that we have 80 per cent comedy and 20 per cent emotional subtext with six melodious songs and performances backed by a committed technical team,” says Venugopal who is making the film. Sri Hari Nanu, a DFT graduate is primarily a cameraman and his interests vary from story-telling to direction. He is the man behind two successful programmes, Take Off and Take it Easy in Gemini T
V where all the three – Sivaji, Sri Hari and Venugopal once worked. “Taking inspiration from the sand sculptor Sudarshan Patnaik’s life, we designed our hero’s character as a saikatha shilpi. The sand sculptor p
art is only a backdrop. The conflict that arises after the two fall in love is what makes the film interesting,” says the debutant director.
The talkie part is completed and apart from this song another one and half songs are to be filmed on the lead actors – Bhumika and Sivaji, informs the producer as we watch Nimisha make fast paced steps advancing towards a nonchalant Sivaji. The choreographer blows the whistle and the camera whirrs to a stop. He suggests some corrections in her movements and Nimisha practices them again. Sivaji finds a few moments to share his thoughts.
“The sand sculptor falls in love with Sathyabhama and how he makes her reciprocate his love is the concept. The story runs on these two characters. We are aware lots of expectations will be on us as Bhumika and I are paired after the runaway hit, Missamma.”
The 123s from the choreographer start all over again as the nagra plays pyar karo pyar karo and the lead actors face the camera. Slated for a mid-June release, the film stars Chandramohan as Bhumika’ father, ‘AllariR
17; Ravibabu as her brother and Brahmanandam as her uncle and Sivaprasad as the hero’s father. Sunil, M.S. Narayana and Babu Mohan are part of the cast.
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