Award-winning director Chandra Sekhar Yeleti is keeping his fingers crossed ahead of his release Manamantha which is his first star-studded film that features Malayalam superstar Mohanlal and yesteryear actress Gautami.
Talking to Gulte on phone, the auteur of films Aithe, Anukokunda Oka Roju says, “Manamantha is different from my previous films. It’s a family drama told in format of multiple stories. The film highlights human drama and drives on emotion. It does have thrill moments but emotion dominates the film.” The working experience with Mohanlal, Gautami and the kids was best part of the film, according to Chandra Sekhar.
“It’s treat to watch them acting. They made my job very easy. It’s always easy for a director when working with good actors.” But the biggest challenge for him in the film is during the scripting phase. “We extensively worked on the script. Connecting four stories was the big challenge. The film was shot in and around Hyderabad in 100 days.”
How Manamantha happened?
“Sai garu and me have been planning to do a film together. Since Prayanam (2009) we’d been wanting to collaborate. Finally it happened in form of Manamantha,” he shared.Chandra Sekhar’s films so far, including Manamantha, have been titled in chaste Telugu. Is it a conscious decision?
“No. It’s just happening. Probably, because of the scripts, the films were named in Telugu. I don’t have any such reservations,” clarifies Yeleti.Manamantha is Chandra Sekhar’s first film to have simultaneous release in Tamil, Malayalam. So is he ready to go places and expand his base?
“Yes, I’d like to. Thankfully, it’s happening with Manamantha. I always wanted to make films in Tamil, Malayalam. May be, from next film on wards I’d do films keeping Tamil, Malayalam audience in mind.”Was Chandra Sekhar disappointed with the response for his last outing Saahasam? Chandra Sekhar is honest enough to admit. “I wish the film would had done better. I wasn’t disappointed totally as it didn’t lose proportion.”
So, Bollywood debut on anvil?
“I did get offers to enter Bollywood earlier. In fact, I got chance to direct Anukokunda Oka Roju in Hindi. I didn’t take up then. I should had done it. It wasn’t regret. But I always feel I should have made my B-town debut so that I could tell my story to large section of audience. If Manamantha does well, we’ve plans to remake the film in Hindi.”
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