'Crazy Uncles', starring Sreemukhi, Mano, and others, will head to the theatres on August 19. In this interview, Raja Ravindra talks about the experience of doing the comedy entertainer. Directed by E Satthi Babu, the film is produced by Good Cinema Group and is presented by Kiran Talasila.
In the 1990s, I did a movie titled 'Aunty' with Jaya Sudha garu. And now, I have done a movie whose title has the word 'Uncles' (laughs). 'Crazy Uncles' is a breezy movie in which I have played a 50-something man whose wife has started to give him less importance. It's the age when the intimacy between couples fades to an extent. If someone finds social media addictive at this age, they make take some missteps. What people with ample free time might do and how they screw up their lives is what 'Crazy Uncles' is about.
I have played a real estate magnate in the movie. Bharani has played a financier, while Mano is a gold merchant. The three men woo the same woman (Sreemukhi) without each other's knowledge.
The film is rich in entertainment and at the same time, it is not vulgar. Sreemukhi has given an energetic performance. I have known her for many years. As such, it was like working with a friend.
I have played negative roles for the most part in my career. Doing a comedy role in 'Crazy Uncles' was a different experience. It's not as easy as playing a negative role. I had played a comedy role in 'Aunty'. In 'Mirapakay', too, I had a light-veined character.
It was not easy to do 'Crazy Uncles' during the pandemic. A lot of scenes involve many actors. The idea was to complete the film as soon as possible and sell the movie to an OTT platform. But someone advised us to release it only in theatres.
After the onset of the OTT phenomenon, opportunities have increased a lot. These days, it's difficult to even find equipment on rent.
Since I have listened to a lot of stories over the decades, I know how to judge stories. I am passionate about cinema. I always want to take the actors I work for (as a manager) to the next level.
I have played a cop in 'Acharya'. I have played a key role in 'Rose Villa'. I am also seen on TV these days. I have a character in a web series.
We are missing a director like EVV garu. He used to give hits with top actors like Chiranjeevi garu and then with small heroes. These days, directors don't do movies with small heroes after delivering a hit with big names. It's because of the remuneration-related issues.
There is a strong need to sustain the theatres. OTT is not sustainable for actors, who won't be able to assess their market strength if they continue to sell their movies to OTT platforms, where a film's performance can't be gauged objectively.
