Not interested in remakes, people don't want to watch same content again: Shreyas Manju

Shreyas Manju celebrated his birthday in a low-key manner on Sunday, distributing food packets to the needy. Meanwhile, the makers of his next film, Vishnu Priya, released the official poster on the occasion.

Speaking to Cinema Express,  the Padde Huli hero said, “Amid the coronavirus outbreak, I wanted to bring in some kind of entertainment to people who are locked in at home, as I seek their wishes and blessings.”  

His upcoming film, directed by VK Prakash, is a love drama that is close to reality and is set in the early 90s. It also marks the Kannada debut of Malayalam actor Priya Prakash Varrier.

The team has nearly completed the shoot of the film with only two days of work left. It has been shot in places like Chickmagaluru, Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Kerala.

Vishnu Priya, produced by K Manju, has Gopi Sundar’s music.

Though the initial plan was to release the film in June, the schedule may change now, Shreyas tells us. “It depends on how the industry takes forward the releases after the lockdown period is over.”

Shreyas has already been approached by some directors to star in their next film. However, the one-film-old actor has rejected a few offers. The reason, he says, is that they were remakes. “I have decided not to touch remakes as of now. Instead, I have requested them to come up with an original script,” says Shreyas.

“More than studying the industry, I have observed people and their tastes. The whole opinion of remakes has changed among the audiences, and I see that people have an aversion towards remakes, which they openly express as well. Now that we live in a digital world, viewers around the globe get to watch all kinds of films, of different genres and languages. It becomes very difficult to tell them to watch the same content, which they have already experienced. One in a million remakes might click. So it is better that we come up with a story that goes with the local flavour. We need to make originals for people to come to theatres,” the actor stresses, adding, “This helps our producers as well as the actors.”

Shreyas is in the process of finalising scripts and directors. “I have a story in hand, which has been written by a Chennai-based writer. It is a romcom. I may make this film under our home banner, and I am now looking for the right director for it. Simultaneously, my father (producer K Manju) is also getting a script ready, which will be totally action-based, and he is in talks with various directors. He believes that as a hero, I should reach out to the masses. Since he feels that I am good with action, he wants me to currently focus on those subjects.”