For the last several years, Telugu cinema has been filled with typical commercial potboilers, rom-coms and revenge sagas, with only a few patriotic films being made. However, the trend is now set to change as a few people are trying to make patriotic films once again. Interestingly, such films are regularly made in the Hindi film industry.
Chiranjeevi is coming up with a film titled Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, based on freedom fighter Narasimha Reddy from Kurnool, while Allu Arjun-starrer Naa Peru Surya Naa Illu India revolves around an honest army personnel, Surya. Last year’s hit film Ghazi revolved around submarine warfare between India and Pakistan. Interestingly, all these films have been helmed by young directors like Surender Reddy (Sye Raa...), Vakkantham Vamsi (Naa Peru Surya...) and Sankalp Reddy (Ghazi).
Allu Arjun
“A patriotic subject is the best-selling point in any kind of cinema. Most of the patriotic films that were made till now have been successful. Maybe one or two films have failed, but if you make a film that gives goosebumps to the audience, it will surely be a big success,” says Sankalp Reddy, the director of Ghazi, which saw audiences standing up when the National Anthem appeared on screen.
Ironically though, the director had to narrate his subject to many filmmakers before P.V.P. came on board. “Initially, they didn’t understand it and asked me all kinds of questions,” reveals Sankalp. While in Hindi, people have come up with films like Gadar, Lagaan, Chak De India, Airlift or Bhaag Milka Bhaag, Telugu filmmakers are not trying at all.
“If you look back at the olden days, many of the films made down South had a patriotic backdrop. Now, because of the budgets and the ambience, the filmmakers are not choosing those subjects. If you want to make a film with a patriotic backdrop, you need to erect a big set and create the atmosphere. It costs so much money which many feel is a risk,” says V.V. Vinayak, one of the top directors of Telugu cinema.
He adds that he is ready to do a patriotic film if he gets a good subject, provided he is well supported by the star and the producer. “The film Sye Raa is coming out because Chiranjeevi is the biggest star and he is the selling point. Those films can be made with big stars, only the money invested in the film can be recovered,” he opines.
Chiranjeevi from Syee Raa Narasimha Reddy
The coming years may see a change in Tollywood trends as different kinds of genres are releasing, feels Vakkantham Vamsi, director of Naa Peru Surya. “I wrote this story sometime back and took the army as a backdrop. The story revolves around a person called Surya and his life journey,” says Vakkantham, who adds that this year may be a game-changer in Tollywood.
“My film has a patriotic backdrop, Rangasthalam directed by Sukumar will take us back to the ’80s and the Mahesh Babu-Koratala Siva film also has a political touch. So three big stars coming up with three different genres is a good thing,” says the director.
Except for a few, many Telugu filmmakers choose an easy way out when it comes to picking a story. They want instant subjects, so they take a plot or an interesting thought from a Korean, Japanese or a French film.
“You need to research a lot for a patriotic film. Hindi filmmakers do it, but in Telugu, people don’t prefer to do research as it takes a long time. For Ghazi, I did a lot of research and then I prepared the subject. Even for my next film, I have done a lot of research and though it’s not a completely patriotic background, it makes one proud to be an Indian,” says Sankalp Reddy, adding that the story is related to India’s sojourn into space.
In the coming two years, there are quite a few Telugu films being made with patriotic backgrounds and one certainly hopes that the trend in Tollywood changes from the regular masala movies.
