Although all of director Koratala Siva’s films have been superhits, he still feels the jitters before the release of Bharat Ane Nenu. “No matter how big you are, every Friday is a litmus test for a filmmaker as it decides his fate,” he quips, adding, “The film is probably my toughest project yet. Although it is a fictional story, the film required a lot of effort to create an authentic political atmosphere and intense characters. Although it has been physically draining, it’s been a fantastic and an emotional journey.”
His first three films Mirchi, Srimanthudu and Janatha Garage, which were all blockbusters, featured Prabhas, Mahesh Babu and NTR respectively in the lead roles.
Kortala further states, “It’s always the script that demands the actors. Getting the script and characterisation right is the key to working with actors. And their down-to-earth nature drives me further to excel.”
Admitting that Mahesh was taken aback after listening to his character in Bharat Ane Nenu, he recalls, “10 years ago, my friend (a writer) and I discussed a story with Mahesh playing a chief minister’s role. Since Mahesh is not into politics, he smiled and asked me ‘Sir, can I pull this off’?’ This is a completely new subject for him, but he took it as a challenge. He started following all news, assembly sessions, the body language of politicians, etc., and delivered a compelling performance.”
Kortala shares that scenes featuring the state assembly, CM’s office, public meetings, etc needed a huge crowd for an authentic impact, and managing people was a major challenge.
Lauding Mahesh as one of the finest actors, he states, “Mahesh always tries to bring something new and tells me that he wants to grow constantly. He gives three to four takes so that we can pick the best one.”
Interestingly, the noted director’s wife always gives him constructive criticism. “I always discuss scripts with my wife and brother-in-law (a government official), and incorporate their feedback into it. For this film too, they did a lot research to get information about current affairs, spoke to experts, politicians, government officers, journalists, etc.”
Kortala feels that over the years, he has evolved as a filmmaker. He adds that he is a constant learner. “I try to look at the flaws in a film, and then correct them for my next project. This has helped me gain better insight and handle larger productions,” he reveals, adding, “I always take up social issues as my story line for a greater connect with the public. Issues like saving the environment, adopting villages, etc, are always contemporary; they never become stale.”
