Ballad of a romantic
M. L. NARASIMHAM
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‘Lakshyam’ is an intriguing love story and family drama.
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A family affair Gopichand and Anushka in ‘Lakshyam’
It’s past 9pm and the moon hides nine p m. The day’s humid climate stillhaunts as the moon hides behind a thin cloud onlocation at the Victoria Memorial School in Dilsukhnagar where Gopichand is shooting for Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Producti
ons, Lakshyam directed by debutant Sri Vas. Heroine Anushka, up and coming screen villain Amith and a few stunt artistes are waiting for the camera to whirl. The technicians, the light boys, the unit hands and the camera assistants han
g around the sets as the shoot commences. Ace lensman Sekhar V. Joseph’s assistant checks the light with the meter. Stunt director Vijay talks to the lead actors and demonstrates their movements in the action sequence to be shot and the stunt actors watch carefully. A totally focused Gopichand picks up tips from the stunt director in a jiffy and fights the villains while a terrified Anushka looks on. With his quick reflexes, Gopichand matches the well trained stunt actors’ brisk movements. Like in a comedy, in an action sequence, it is the timing that counts. “I cannot reveal the sequence of events that lead to this action scene as this fight leads to a twist in the tale,”says Vas with an apologetic tone.It is the pre-climax scene, so it has lot of significance.” The city based subject showcases the turmoil in a family and how the hero solves it. Gopichand is a fun loving college student. Anushka is from the same college and eventually they fall in love. Then the hero finds his family facing some trouble andhis lakshyam is to solve the problem for his family.
The role
“Gopichand’s role is juxtaposed with all the navarasas. The heroine is not only his love interest but is also involved in fulfilling his aim. So you have a beautiful love story on one side and on the flipside there is an
intriguing family drama,” reveals the director. Sri Vas started his career as an assistant with cinematographer Vincent and then worked with Ajay Vincent before branching out into the directorial department and joining Krishnavamsi. “It was Vamsi who encouraged me to take up direction. Thanks to Bujji (producer Nallamalupu Srinivas) and D. Suresh Babu (Suresh Movies) who heard the story and okayed it in one sitting, I became a filmmaker today,” says a visibly moved Vas. On the sets, Sekhar V. Joseph and Vijay discuss in between the takes perhaps on the camera placements and the director joins them. Bujji’s last production was the runaway hit, Lakshmee. “The story narrated by Sri Vas is in a pucca commercial format and coordinating with Suresh Babu we made slight improvisations. Gopichand has has become like a family member and is doing a great job. Manisharma’s musical score is another high and we shot two songs in Austria. With this, the shooting part ends.”
Other characters
Kota Srinivasa Rao and Vijaya Singh play the hero’s parents while ‘Ahuti’ Prasad is cast as the heroine’s father. Bollywood actor Yashpal Sharma makes his debut in Telugu as the villain with Raghubabu as his henchman. The usual comedians Ali, Venumadhav, Brahmanandam and others play an entertaining role. The surprise element will be the presence of a popular hero in a pivotal role as the elder brother of Gopi. “We will reveal his name at the appropriate time,” smiles the director.
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