The shooting of Varun Tej’s forthcoming film Ghani, directed by Kiran Korrapati, was more than half done when the second wave of pandemic halted the work last month.
However, in the last few days, rumours have been rife that Kiran and Varun are at loggerheads owing to ‘contrasting perceptions’ over the film’s output. It was also rumoured that as a result of this tiff, the film’s unit had to dismantle a boxing ring set that was specially constructed in a private studio.
A good laugh
When contacted, the director, however, laughed off the rumours, calling them ‘funny’. “I wonder where these rumours come from. Especially during these times of crises, I wonder how people have time to plant such rumours,” he says.
“Recently, Varun even watched the rushes of the film so far and was delighted with the way it has shaped up. He has been a pillar of support for the film.”
As for the dismantled set, Kiran clarifies to us that the set was only dismantled and not completely taken apart. “The set was actually ready last month and it took us around two months to build it, but the second wave has halted the shooting. With no signs of shooting in the immediate future, we thought we’d simply dismantle the set to save rents,” the director explains.
Recuperating...
Meanwhile, the director has been recovering from COVID-19, something he thinks he might have contracted while shooting for the film last month. However, he tells us, he has recently tested negative for the contagion.
“My whole family was tested positive last month, and it has been tough coping. Fortunately, we all were able to counter the virus and come out of it,” he shares.
