Karuna Kumar: Palasa 1978 is inspired by true events

The debutant director talks about his crime thriller set in the 70s
Karuna Kumar
Karuna Kumar

Short film maker Karuna Kumar is looking forward to the release of his feature debut, Palasa 1978. Slated for release on March 6, the crime thriller is based on real events that happened in the 1970s.

"A first-of-its-kind in Telugu cinema, the film is set in a North Coastal Andhra town called Palasa. Set against the cashew business, the major income source of the people in that region, Palasa 1978 charts the story of a folk artist, who becomes a local rowdy due to unforeseen circumstances. We have shot the film in real locations to keep it as authentic as possible," says Karuna Kumar.

Ask him about what viewers should expect from the film, and he explains, "The film has a universal story with a realistic feel to it, like some of the films helmed by Ram Gopal Varma. The narrative is loaded with commercial elements that will please all sections of the audience."

Karuna Kumar opines that when a director depicts a story with a universal theme, the region and the dialect are besides the point. "Choosing to focus on a dialect and highlighting it is the creative right of a director. Even though I have chosen Palasa (the director's native place) as the backdrop with the lead characters speaking Srikakulam dialect, the story will still appeal and make sense to viewers across regions. Hence, I thought it might be a good idea to go in for region-neutral dialogues. I feel if a story is strong and the narrative is gripping, these aspects will not make a difference to a film's reception," the director shares.

Featuring Raghu Kunche, Rakshit Atluri, and Nakshatra in lead roles, Palasa 1978 is bankrolled by Dhyan Atluri.

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