The unassuming centurion

Some things are meant to be. When the idea of the movie Simpallag Ondh Love Story was conceived, it was not even meant for mass audience, but it completed 100 days at the box office past Friday. The movie is the brainchild of Suni, its debutant director who was an unknown identity in Gandhinagar until the film hit the silver screen. The low-profile-keeping simpleton tells Y Maheswara Reddy what went into the making of the box-office scorcher

Please narrate the making of your movie.
The original idea was to make Simpallag Ondh Love Story only for film producers. It was a vehicle to impress them and getting an offer to direct a proper film from them. My aim was not making a movie that would hit the silver screen and go on to complete 100 days. In fact, the movie’s budget was initially only `30 lakh.

What made you increase the budget?
I had to scale up the magnitude of the movie when some of my friends and well-wishers joined hands with me for the project. The movie’s budget crossed `1 crore, but no one has any regrets about the expenditure as the product’s quality is uncompromised.

Some dialogues of the film are raw and titillating.
Such dialogues, especially the “Kayyaakala” one, became popular among cine buffs. These are simple dialogues, but some people do think these have double meaning.

What were the post-production issues you faced?
I had assisted director Dinesh Babu earlier, but Simpallag Ondh Love Story was my maiden venture as a director. No one in Gandhinagar knew about me until the movie’s promos were released. My friends tell me the promos made me popular even before the release of the movie. One TV channel tried to exploit my financial condition by offering only a few lakh rupees for the movie’s TV rights. When the flick became a hit, the same channel offered twice the amount it had earlier quoted.

The movie’s success has made you famous. Is it tough being a celebrity?
Yes. I feel embarrassed when my relatives compare their children with me and chide them for not becoming popular and successful like me. Owing to all this, I find it difficult to attend wedding functions as my relatives would be there.

What’s your next project?
I will be directing Bahuparakh. Srinagar Kitty will be the male protagonist. The hunt for the female lead is still on. Most of the technicians who worked for Simpallag Ondh Love Story will get the responsibility for Bahuparakh too.