Vimal Krishna: The story of DJ Tillu resonates with everyone

Actor Vimal Krishna’s interest in films has never been confined to acting. He has shown enthusiasm in different aspects of film-making. “I worked in the direction department in my childhood friend and director Ravikanth Perepu’s Kshanam and also acted in films such as Jersey and Bommala Ramaram. Direction has always been in my mind before I worked as an actor and I'm glad I have made my dream into a reality now,” says Vimal Krishna as he settles down for a candid chit-chat about his debut directorial DJ Tillu featuring Siddhu Jonnalagadda and Neha Shetty in the lead roles.

Excerpts from the interview:

How did DJ Tillu happen?

I conceived the storyline of DJ Tillu in 2019 and discussed it with Siddhu (Jonnalagadda), who was my friend since 2012. He liked the idea and together, we developed it into a bound script before the first wave of the pandemic hit us hard. However, we capitalised on that lockdown phase and fine-tuned the script to perfection. Being a debutant I always wanted to create an impact with my first film and has arrived with a youthful entertainer, which has all the commercial elements to woo the audience from all walks of life.

What was the inspiration for DJ Tillu?

Our society has different views about women and their affinity with men. Even if a woman goes out with her brother or her friend, people misunderstand and begin to misinterpret their relationship. I want to showcase this grey side of our society from a young boy’s perspective by incorporating comedy and romance. The film also carries an underlying message and I am sure people won’t feel bored to understand it (laughs).

Tell us what kind of work and research went into the making of the film.

During my initial days in Hyderabad, I happened to meet and interact with a few DJs and was really bowled over by their conversations, attitude and body language. They carry a different persona and each one is his own boss. I have infused these characteristics and developed Tillu’s character.

Are you confident that you represented the average viewer?

Definitely. The story of DJ Tillu kind of resonates with everyone. Although I have dealt with a sensitive subject, the story doesn’t give any scope to judge the characters and one doesn’t need any intelligence to understand its essence.

The film was initially titled Narudi Brathuku Natana...

Yes. All my friends who have listened to the story began calling it a tale of Tillu. Also, Narudi Brathuku Natana gave the film a serious tone and hence we replaced the title as DJ Tillu.

Siddhu Jonnalagadda said director Trivikram Srinivas has suggested a few changes to the script. What was his contribution like?

Trivikram sir helped us a lot in script discussions. We jotted down all those suggestions, analyzed them, and drafted them into the story. He also shared fascinating experiences from his journey and those were really helpful and insightful.

The promos have references to Mahesh Babu, Allu Arjun and Radhika Apte. 

Tillu feels like a big celebrity and boasts of himself a lot. These references are nothing but to ride the wave of their popularity.

What’s next after DJ Tillu?

I have two-three scripts ready, including a sports drama and I also got exciting offers from a couple of production houses. I will decide on what to take up next after the release of this film.