Sujeeth and Prabhas are under tremendous pressure due to the comparison of Saaho with SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali. But the director says that comparison before its release is premature and unreasonable.

Sujeeth said, “I understand Prabhas’ fans want to see a film that will equal Baahubali in scale and content. I hope Saaho doesn’t disappoint. But to compare it with Baahubali is just so impractical. Everything about Saaho is different from Baahubali. That’s how Prabhas Sir wanted it to be.”

“The kind of hard work and dedication he has put into Saaho is hard to find anywhere else. More than anyone else, I want Saaho to work for Prabhas Sir. Then I want it to work for my producers who have been so generous kind and considerate. They never questioned the costs. And even when they did, it was like my mother asking why I spent on such a fancy pair of shows,” says Sujeeth gratefully.

Which brings us to Sujeeth’s mother.

“She is the third person I want Saaho to succeed for. She has been praying so hard. When she reads some arrogant-sounding statement where I am heard comparing myself to Rajamouli Sir she asks me why I speak like this.”

“The truth is, I don’t speak to the media because I want my work to speak for itself. I’m only one film old. When I got the chance to do Saaho a lot of people advised my producers against it saying I was too young and inexperienced.”

“As for comparing myself to Rajamouli Sir I never did that. And yet there were headlines quoting me as comparing me to Raja Sir,” says Sujeeth.

And who or what is the fourth reason Sujeeth wants Saaho to succeed?

“Me, of course. I’ve worked very hard alongside Prabhas Sir to ensure we’ve made an action film on a par with Hollywood.

“We are capable, if given the budget. So many of the technicians mentioned in the end-credits of the Hollywood super-hero films are Indians from Bengaluru, Chennai etc.

“We are capable of doing an Avengers or Fast & Furious. All we need is a producer to trust our vision. And I got it in Saaho.”

Reacting to the car chases in Saaho resembling Rohit Shetty’s cinema Sujeeth retorts, “Who doesn’t enjoy watching cars speed and crash? Car crashes have become old now. We’ve used trucks in Saaho.

“The concept of on-screen grandeur has changed drastically. Earlier audiences were dazzled by the grandeur of Maya Bazaar and Patal Bhairavi. Now they need another kind of optical thrill. I hope we’ve provided it in Saaho.”