Sundeep seems excited about entering uncharted territory in cinema. “I have always wanted to make films that I believe in. Being a producer gives me the liberty to make them the way I envision them to be. I have always wanted to become a producer. Being only an actor limits your creative freedom in the process of filmmaking,” he says.
So what inspired Sundeep to choose Ninu Veedani Needanu Nene as his first production? “I believe that a film is like a baby that needs to be nurtured to fruition and promoted in a manner that suits itself best. So, this seemed like the right script for me to turn producer.”
Will Sundeep be producing more films in the future?
“I hope to keep it as an ongoing career and make films with other actors and for my banner too.”
Confident that Ninu Veedani Needanu Nene will resonate with the audience, Sundeep says, “It’s a very powerful script and conveys a theme that most audiences can relate to. Though the film disguises itself as genre-shifting, its true strength is that it carries a strong take-home emotion.”
One reason why Sundeep is keen to break through as a producer is to be able to make films the way he wants to. “I believe in test screenings and audience feedback. The kind of films I choose requires an intelligent response before release. Somehow, I am attracted to films that have a new concept but are treated commercially. For films like that, it’s very important to have test screenings, which as a producer I’m at the liberty to do.”
A big high for Sundeep this time is the song that the Tamil actor, Siddharth Suryanarayan, has recorded for his film. “Yes, Siddharth has sung a song for me. We recorded it in Chennai on Monday. This is the first time that he has sung for an actor other than himself. All the songs that he has sung in Telugu for his films so far have turned to blockbusters. He is singing in Telugu after almost five years.”
The film gets its title from an evergreen chartbuster. Ninu Veedani Needanu Nene is a yesteryears’ super hit Telugu song. If we were to draw a parallel from Hindi cinema, it would be Ajeeb Dastan Hain Yeh, Lataji’s immortal hit from Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi.
Sundeep is confident about this film. “I just saw the final cut yesterday. It has come out very well. I am taking my time with the post-production to make sure that we get the best possible output,” he says.
