They say priorities change with age, and that’s exactly what filmmaker Sukumar is experiencing currently. Reflecting on his forthcoming release, Rangasthalam, he says, “I made films, became a director and have been moving around in cars.
But I get nostalgic and emotional when I remember my childhood memories (during the ’80s) like the television news reader, radio commentary, teachers, classic songs, etc, and instantly connect with them. So my soul is left there, and Rangasthalam is an attempt to reflect those memories on screen. So the film was like soul-searching for me.”
He recalls, “I spent 25 years in my village Rajolu, and led a tension-free life. The emotions too were genuine — whether good or bad; so I wanted to relive those days. I wanted to reinstate how people were back then, their lifestyles, interesting characters, etc. I had been thinking about narrating such a story since a long time and I am really pleased that I finally did it. Had I got this opportunity earlier, perhaps I would not have done justice to the film because I don’t think I was mature enough to cherish those emotions.”
Sukumar admits that he always looks for a connection in the scripts he reads. “But I always believe that I have an ’80s-backdrop script to rescue me (smiles). I have never ever written a complete script; I used to write only in bits and pieces.
But this is the first time I was able to get a complete vision of script in two hours.”
Ask him how directing the film transformed him, he replies, “I have been travelling abroad in search of scripts and trying to find logic in those stories. But my childhood memories include plucking mangoes, playing in the sand, running around in shorts on the streets, etc. So I have realised that my roots are here and this is where I belong. I could feel and relive that childhood innocence; so the greater the emotion, the more sensitive you become.” He promptly adds, “As a filmmaker, I became more genuine because I was narrating a subject from my roots. Filmmaking then became easy since I only had to connect the dots. As a filmmaker, I need to have emotional freedom so that I can think deeply and capture genuine feelings.”
The Nannaku Prematho helmer goes on to state that Rangasthalam’s journey was his route to self-discovery. “It felt like I was searching for myself, my true identity, and reinventing myself. And the process only rejuvenated me. This film is close to my heart and I was on a high throughout the film,” reveals Sukumar.
Explaining that Ram Charan lived up to his character Chitti Babu, the director says, “His emotions are genuine and it elevated his character graph. Initially, I was apprehensive whether Charan will accept the role, but he believed in the script had raw emotions.”
Interestingly, “Initially Charan didn’t know how to sport a lungi, but towards the end of the shoot he liked it a lot and felt comfortable in it. This story has brought a degree of transformation in him too. He owned the script! I did not instruct him much about the role because I wanted to capture his natural instincts as an actor. He came to the sets with an open mind and delivered a stellar performance!”
“Charan was also producing a film side by side. So amid several responsibilities, pulling off this role was a daunting task. But when he came to the set, he quickly got into his character,” the director reveals.
Recalling his rendezvous with Charan’s father, superstar Chiranjeevi, Sukumar says, “I am afraid of Chiru garu. I can’t talk to him because I grew up watching his films. I narrated the script of Arya to him 15 years ago as a big fan. Back then, I was new to the industry. But after settling in the industry, I have realised how big he is and what it takes to be a megastar. This is why I could not narrate the story of Rangasthalam to him properly — it was out of fear and respect,” he chuckles.
