After over 12 years, senior producer and director Thammareddy Bharadwaja is returning to films with Vadhala. He is producing the film under his Charitha Chitra banner along with Kishore Naidu. Jagapathi Babu plays the lead role, while Laya appears as the female lead alongside Hrithika Srinivas.
The film’s glimpse was unveiled on Wednesday, and speaking on the occasion, Thammareddy said he decided to shoot the film in Madhya Pradesh due to the state’s film-friendly policies and hospitable people. “Because the MP government provides many incentives for shoots in Madhya Pradesh, we chose Bhopal. Not just the government, but the local people were also very supportive and helped us a lot.”
Jagapathi Babu, who had worked with Thammareddy in Anthapuram, is reuniting with the producer in Vadhala, directed by Akella V Krishna.
He added that everyone worked on the film as if it were their own project. Chota K Naidu handled the cinematography. “I requested Chota to work on this film, and he is actually the hero of this project. Though the film was made with some budget constraints, he encouraged everyone on the sets every day and created a very energetic and lively atmosphere,” said Jagapathi Babu. He added that the film is a thriller and expressed confidence about its outcome.
Speaking about the film’s female lead, Laya, Jagapathi Babu calls her a friend and recalls their earlier collaboration, Manoharam. “Laya is my dearest friend and a very humble, down-to-earth person. When I worked with her in my earlier film Manoharam, she was around 17 and looked like a small child. From then on, I have always liked her very much,” he said. He praised Laya for her fantastic performance and urged fans to wait for two important scenes of hers in the film.
Responding to the kind of commitment he shows to this film, Jagapathi Babu said that a film’s subject always commands his involvement. “I liked Vadhala’s subject very much, and for the last 10–12 years, I have been confident about this story. I pitched the story and love the script, so I am putting all my energy into this film,” he said. He added that he is not just an actor in the film but is involved in many other aspects of the project.
Producer Thammareddy Bharadwaj, who will complete 50 years in the industry this year, is known for his straightforward nature. He admitted that he made the mistake of backing two films nearly 15 years ago. “I felt I made a mistake with Prathighatana, so I didn’t feel very bad when it failed. But I was disappointed when Pothe Poni, which I thought was a good film, also failed. From then on, I felt I had become outdated and went into a shell, deciding not to make films with the present generation,” he said. He shared that he wanted to make his return after realising that films that relate to his sensibilities are still being made and appreciated. “That gave me confidence when Jagapathi Babu approached me.”
He conceded that he was initially nervous when the shooting began. “But I completed the film within the budget. The present generation of artists proved my thoughts wrong — they were very cooperative, came well in advance to the shooting spot, and even worked extra hours when required,” said Thammareddy.
He added that Jagapathi Babu, Chota K Naidu, and the technicians gave him the confidence to continue making films. “If you had asked me earlier whether I would make films again, I would have said ‘no’. But after Vadhala, if you ask the same question, my answer is that I will continue to make films,” he said.
Thammareddy also said filmmakers should primarily make films for theatre audiences and consider OTT platforms as a bonus. “In my opinion, you cannot make a film specifically for OTT. Every year, around 250 films are released, but only about 50 to 60 get streamed on OTT platforms. If you look at some recent award-winning films, many were made on a compact budget of ₹2 – ₹3 crore. A film should run successfully in theatres first; then OTT platforms will definitely buy it as a bonus,” he said.
The makers are planning to release Vadhala in May this year.