Location Diaries-Santhosh Prathap for Kondraal Paavam: A cherished shoot 

This weekly column details the fascinating encounters that often take place on the sets of a film and this week, it is from Kondraal Paavam
Location Diaries-Santhosh Prathap for Kondraal Paavam: A cherished shoot 

In Kondraal Paavam, actor Santhosh Prathap had to spend several weeks in Hyderabad as a major portion of the film was shot inside Ramoji Film City. "It was my first time at the famous film city, and it was wonderful to explore the huge studio grounds, learn about its history and hear about the grand films shot there," says Santhosh. While he enjoyed exploring the premises, he took some time getting used to the weather. "The days were perfectly sunny but during the night it used to be very cold. We used to shoot deep inside the studio grounds till 2 am by which the temperature would dip so low that it would feel like a hill station."  There were apparently no heaters around and he did not have jackets to escape the cold wind either. "I was shooting alongside Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Charlie, Sendrayan, Easwari Rao ma'am, Manobala sir and many others, and we would all shudder in the chilly winds. Our only viable solution was to try to derive a little warmth from the smoke machine, which created artificial smoke for the scene's atmosphere. But it was also fun as the unit spent time chatting, dancing and making Insta reels between shots," he adds. 

The shoot at Ramoji became even more memorable for another reason. "A lot of other movies like Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2, Prabhas' Salaar and Chandramukhi 2 were being shot there as well. We all stayed at the same hotel and we shared meals and caught up with many of the other films' crew as well," says Santhosh. The extensive film set, which was constructed in a large, remote area of Ramoji, took him back in time. "It felt like we were living on a real farm, far away from the bustling lives in concrete jungles. It made us want to return to a simpler lifestyle."

Shooting in another far-flung area for another sequence made it even tougher for Santhosh. "It was difficult to shoot as there were hundreds of insects buzzing around us attracted by the shooting lights. Later, I started carrying my jacket for protection." 

Being away from the city, Santhosh was also unable to get a regular supply of organic millet and hand-pound rice for his daily diet. "I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and I would love to go back there again," signs off Santhosh with a smile. 
 

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