Telugu Movie News @ CinemaGola.Blogspot.com: Chitchat with YVS Chowdary

YVS Chowdary is the man of mass audience and when he directs Bala Krishna, the expectations are unlimited. But YVS is cool like a cucumber even though his latest film Okka Magaadu is releasing with high expectations. The film experts say that Okka Magaadu will surely break the records irrespective of the talk.Here are the excerpts -

Tell us about Okka Magaadu?
When we announced the project on 9 August 2006, the expectations were humongous worldwide. And we are releasing the film on 11 January 2008. I stayed away from the hype associated with the project and done with dedication and determination. I came to the industry because of my addiction to legend NTR. I learnt the good qualities like working hard, dedication and fighting spirit from NTR only.

Okka Magadu is my seventh directorial venture. MM Keeravani composed the Okka Magaadu song in Tirumala guest house for Seetayya film. This song created a history with good beat, nice choreography and colorful picturization. Okka Magaadu song encapsulates all the qualities a girl looks out in a man. We had legend NTR in our mind while penning lyrics.

I had been having a potential story meant for any hero of god worship with me for a long time. And when Keeravani composed that song, I realized that Okka Magaadu is the right title for the script I had worked for. I registered the title immediately after coming to Hyderabad. When I started developing the scripts, I realized that Bala Krishna is the only hero who could do justice.

I met Bala Krishna during the postproduction time of Devadasu and narrated the script. And it excited him very much and he accepted the project. If he rejected this script, I would have put this subject away forever and went on making films with other scripts because this script is made for 'one and only' Bala Krishna." I worked with Bala Krishna as an assistant director for Pattabhishekam. I was the co-director for Aswamedham film. He is undoubtedly the most handsome hero. He has gone the royal lineage of Nandamuri. He has terrific god-worship image among the fans. These three qualities are required for Okka Magaadu film. I will give the total credit of success of Okka Magaadu film for Bala Krisna only. I feel that technicians are always technicians. We used the image of stars like Bala Krishna to enhance our work. Star heroes channelize our work and thought process and carry them to the masses and there by increase the span of longevity of the films.

Bala Krishna is looking very handsome in Okka Magaadu. What is the secret?

That is how I want to see Bala Krishna on screen. Each director has his own mental vision about how he is going to project his hero. For me Bala Krishna should be presented the way I had done in Okka Magaadu. It came from my thought process and imagination.

Do you have any message in this film?
I opine that the films are primarily meant for entertainment. All my films cater to the movie lovers and I am not the kind of guy who feel that movies should give messages. Even if there are any message, I make sure that they are sugar-coated.

Do you think that Okka Magaadu is going to act as catalyst to the entry of Bala Krishna in politics?
I am a passionate filmmaker. I prepare scripts and make films as per scripts. I made Okka Magaadu as per the demand of the script. I did not deviate from it to have any political angle. The entire film of Okka Magaadu is going to be non-controversial. When we make a film of Okka Magaadu stature, we make sure that it caters to all sectors of audiences.

Why did you take so many days to shoot this film?
Though we went to floors in December 2006, we could shot only three songs in the next four months. We started the talkie shoot in April and completed the entire film by December. We shot the film in many locations like Australia, Malaysia, Rayala Seema, Rajahmundry and Hyderabad. We went to USA for 20 days to consult make-up technicians.

You bought a theater in Gudiwada and showing Okka Magaadu as the inaugural film in it. How do you feel about it?
It is one of the most memorable moments in my life. I was the town president of Gudiwada for NTR fans. Films like Kodanveeti Simham and Sardar Papa Rayudu created records when I was the president. I moved to Chennai at the age of 19 and Gopala Krishna theater was constructed after that. Many of Chiranjeevi's films ran for 100 days in Gopala Krishna. I bought that theater and renovated it. It is the first DTS A/C theater in Gudiwada. It is a thrilling moment for me to release Okka Magaadu film in my own theater as an inaugural film.

How is the response for the audio?
The audio of Okka Magaadu has been liked immensely by all sectors of music lovers.

How is the response for Okka Magaadu in overseas?

All the NRI's perceive Okka Magaadu as a Bala Krishna film made by a director who adulates NTR like a God. And I had been crafting my career graphs in a very respectable way with decent hits. I am like Dravid for Indian cricket team with consistent track record. Hence the expectations are high when our combination film was announced. I am very confident that Okka Magaadu will satisfy all the overseas crowds who have tremendous expectations on this film.

Tell us about make-up for the unrevealed character of Bala Krishna in Okka Magaadu?
Eeswar prepared sketches for Bala Krishna and Simran. We went to USA and met Academy award nominated make-up technician. He assisted us in getting the right make-up done. Bala Krishna used to get up at 3:30 and come to the location. It takes around 4 hours to put on the make-up and one hour to take the make-up off. It was very tedious process and Bala Krishna enthusiastically participated in the shooting with make-up.

Do you think Okka Magaadu is going to create records?
Records are meant to be broken and records are not permanent. Records of a blockbuster were decided on day one or in the first week. I am a passionate filmmaker and I made a good film. I want everybody to appreciate it. I don't make films for records. But if Okka Magaadu breaks records I will be very happy because I came from the grassroots level of a fan.

Dasari said in the audio function that there is a caste based message in the film that targets some popular personality. Is it true?
All you guys know me in person. I am not the kind of guy who hurts anybody feelings. I am the one who made the film and I know the dialogues in the film. I can assure that not even a single dialogue in this film is of controversial nature.

If you have to describe Okka Magaadu in one sentence?
Okka Magaadu offers 'South Indian Spicy Meals' to all the audiences.

Tell us about your next film 'Rey' with Ram?
Let the Okka Magaadu release first. I will talk about my next film later.

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