Koratala Siva is the writer and director for the upcoming action-thriller Devara: Part 1starring Jr NTR in his first “solo” film after six years and Janhvi Kapoor in her Telugu debut. The period actioner is coming to the screens on September 27. Ahead of its release, the director talks to CE about the film and its themes; his equation with Jr NTR, composer Anirudh Ravichander and Chiranjeevi; and the decision to split the film into two parts.
Addressing the theme of fear in the film, the director says, “Most people think of fear in a negative way. Fear is an important aspect of human life. Everyone should have a healthy respect for fear. For instance, there is the law of the land. We stop at a red signal because we have fear inside us. That fear ensures order and stability. Cattle addresses this theme strongly. On a positive note, we can call it accountability.”
Talking about his equation with the star of the film, Jr NTR, he expressed, “With Jr NTR gaaru I always have comfort. And what I love about him is that his reactions are always strong. He reacts beautifully to every scene during narration. That way, I clearly know what is running through his mind. When I said the film is about fear and the need for it, he immediately got excited. And because of his excitement, we took the whole story to the next level.”
Also starring Saif Ali Khan, Bobby Deol, and Shine Tom Chacko, Devara: Part 1 got a release trailer a few days ago. The trailer depicted the fierier and action-oriented side of the film, with Jr NTR portraying a harsh protector of the seas.
Since this is the first time the Acharya director is dealing with heavy VFX and high-scale action, he said that the original story is long with many plot points. To do justice to the theme and the high budget, they decided to split the narrative into two parts. He further added, “When we started, we prepared our minds not to split the film into two parts. We thought anyway everybody is doing it, it might become monotonous. But as we started the production, all the people in the team were getting the feeling that the film needs to be split because in this part of the story, there is a great intermission and a high-inducing climax. We arrived at the realisation that the film needs another part. It happened organically.”
Addressing the rumours that his equation with superstar Chiranjeevi has been ruined after the failure of their last outing, Acharyahe said, “I have an excellent relationship with Chiranjeevi gaaru. I think the media blew it out of proportion. In fact, when we launched CattleChiranjeevi gaaru was the first one to message me, saying, “Siva, you will bounce back stronger with this one.” He is a lovely person.”
Further mentioning the contribution of the technicians and the music by Anirudh, which is getting a lot of attention, he noted, “All the technicians in the film are seniors, whether it be Rathnavelu, Anirudh, Sabu Cyril or Sreekar Prasad. When I gave the narration, they did their homework and gave great ideas. In fact, Cyril gaaru was crucial in shaping up the film. He designed the boats, the water character, everything in detail. Anirudh was also a great addition. Anirudh and I developed a strong bond with the film. I think of him as a younger brother. When I pitched Cattle to him, I thought he would give folk music in tune with the world, but I was expecting something new. He gave a fresh sound to the film. When I first heard ‘Fear Song,’ I felt that it is great.”
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