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Efficiency personified

Director’s cut After ‘Eenadu’, Chakri is working on a 3D film

The cherubic child-photographer in Sagara Sangamam who makes disastrous attempts to snap Kamal Haasan made a mark in the film. Chakri Toleti, has since come a long way to direct the veteran actor in the recently released Eenadu. After Sagara. he had acted in some more films before moving to the US in 1995. A product of a film school from Florida, Chakri set up a few companies with his brother in media entertainment and technology, one amongst that is a visual effects company called Mahati.

Ask him why he didn't become a full-fledged actor, he says he is far more comfortable behind the camera. His father had written for movies made by Balachander, Bhagyaraj and helped director Jandhyala and K. Vishwanath to execute some of the films. Chakri comes to Viasakhapatanam quite frequently where he has his IT company with over 100 employees. But how did Eenadu happen??

Chakri met Kamal Haasan during a shoot of Dasavataram, where they discussed options to work together and Eenadu, the remake of A Wednesday happened. Chakri feels every subject can fall in the mainstream format, it doesn't matter even if it's a remake. "The idea is to tell a good story in any language. I was waiting for the right opportunity, there is nothing such as a right subject. Terrorism is a global problem, we wanted to show how it impacts the common man and his day-to-day life. I never wanted to do something that would disturb the soul and character of the film and we preserved every scene from the beginning."

How was it directing the three stalwarts of cinema? "Knowing Kamal was an advantage. He's more of an actor than a star. Mohan Lal is a very natural actor, and Venkatesh very methodical and professional in his approach. Kamal was in fact supposed to work with Venkatesh in Marmayogi (which was shelved) and since it didn't happen he suggested that Venkatesh would suit the Commissioner's role better. Each of them have a unique style of functioning and it would be unfair to draw comparisons."

Tell him that after years he has ushered in a multistarrer that looked near impossible in Telugu cinema and he laughs, "I didn't realise it. I was more focused on the story."

Chakri is now planning a 3D film. But before that he has plenty of promotional work for the film to execute. Meanwhile, his unit is relieved, for having a new director whose approach to work is different and refreshing. He doesn't come to the set with any extra baggage, there is no addressing him as `Sir' and no hierarchy and he's the one who concentrates on finding a solution rather than mulling over the problem in a crisis. His corporate background has certainly helped.

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