'Krishna Gadu Ante Oka Range', directed by Rajesh Dondapati, will be released in theatres on August 4. Produced by Sri Tejas Production, the film is headlined by newcomers Rishvi Thimmaraju and Vismaya Sri. Also featuring Raghu, Swathi Policherla, Sujatha, Vinay, and Mahadev, the film is based in a Guntur village. Sabu Varghese (music), Varikuppala Yadagiri (lyrics) and SK Rafi (cinematography) have worked on the movie.
In this interview, debutant director Rajesh says that he is a huge fan of Krishna Vamsi's filmography and style of making. Catch him talk about his first box office offering.
I hail from Guntur district. It was under director Chandu of '10th Class' fame that I started out as an assistant. I have been in the Telugu film industry for the past 15 years. I got to work in the direction departments on several movies.
It was during the pandemic-induced lockdown in 2020 that I strongly believed that I should direct a village-based drama. 'Krishna Gadu Ante Oka Range' was conceived thanks to that motive. Through a friend, I got to learn about one of the producers, who lives in the US. I pitched a 15-minute narration which he liked. That's how the journey started.
Usually, village-based dramas in Telugu are set in one of the Godavari districts. I wanted to step out of this mould. The story is set in a village near Guntur. The film, as the title suggests, tells the story of Krishna (the male protagonist's name). Since the story is about him, the characters in his life become relevant.
This is an out-and-out love and family entertainer. I auditioned for lead roles with the thinking that the body language of the lead pair has to be natural. The love track between Krishna and his girlfriend is surely going to entice the audience. The pre-climax phase and the final 20 minutes are going to be quite engaging.
Our producer Raghuram is a gutsy man. He could complete the film in a single schedule. He didn't interfere and only after he was satisfied with the final output did he start theatrical release formalities. He is promoting the movie with enthusiasm because the end product is very good. Thanks to the producer's support, I could finish the project smoothly despite being a debutant. And an effective technical team made it easier for me.
I am in talks for my next project. The details will be made official after it is finalized.
