Actor Kiran Abbavaram, in an effort to encourage new talent, started a production house named KA Productions. His first venture is Thimmarajupalli TV. Sai Tej and Veda Jalandhar are being introduced as the lead pair, while V Muniraju makes his directorial debut. Set against a rural backdrop, this period drama is gearing up for a theatrical release on April 17.
Muniraju said he had always dreamed of becoming a director. “I studied at SV University in Tirupati and was inspired by many people. When I first watched Magadheera in theatres, I decided I wanted to become a director,” he says. He recalled how a speech by SS Rajamouli changed his perspective. Adding that he regrets not performing well in academics, he says. “At an event, Rajamouli sir said that anyone who wants to enter the industry should at least complete graduation. After hearing that, I focused on my studies, completed my graduation, and then decided to pursue a career in films.”
Recalling days before entering the industry, Muniraju says that he used to earn a living through online editing. “Over time, I felt I was drifting away from my goal of becoming a director. So I wrote a script, returned to my village, and shot a demo on a mobile phone with local people.” Opening up on how he met Kiran Abbavaram, he says Kiran liked his demo and encouraged him to develop a full script. “He asked about my work, and I told him about the demo. He liked it and encouraged me to develop it into a full script. That’s how Thimmarajupalli TV began. He gave me complete freedom while making this film and visited the sets two or three times,” he explains.
Muniraju shares that his film is inspired by incidents from his childhood, and it revolves around the common fascination with the TV set when it was first introduced. “The characters, emotions, and my personal experiences are all reflected in the film. When I wanted to tell a story, I thought of my own village. When television first arrived there, it felt like a theatre had come to us,” he said. He added that while the film portrays village life and human ego, it also carries strong emotional depth.
Speaking about his filmmaking style, Muniraju said he aimed for realism. “I admire Marathi films like Sairat and Jhund, and I have watched RGV's Satya many times. Whenever I need a reference, I revisit Satya. From a filmmaking perspective, our movie will surprise audiences,” he says, adding, “The film features actors from different districts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, including theatre artists like those from Surabhi. This project is a dream for many newcomers like me. If it succeeds, it will encourage producers to support new talent.”
Talking about performances, he added that every character plays an important role. “Both the lead pair and the supporting cast have done an excellent job and will impress the audience,” he says. Muniraju concluded by saying he has multiple stories ready. “I have five to six stories and want to continue telling stories inspired by the world around us.”