Vijay Kanakamedala: My films are very close to reality

 Vijay Kanakamedala about his upcoming film Ugram, his working relationship with screenwriter Toom Venkat, reinventing Allair Naresh, and more
Vijay Kanakamedala: My films are very close to reality

Having worked as an assistant director for Harish Shankar in films like Mirpakay, Gabbar Singh and DJ, Vijay made his directorial debut with Naandhi, which stars Allari Naresh in the lead role. The film went on to become a critical and commercial success. The director returns two years later with his sophomoric film Ugram, which is all set to hit theatres on May 5. Ugram, an action drama, reunites Vijay with his Naandhi actor Allari Naresh. The film also marks the second collaboration between Vijay and screenwriter Toom Venkat, the latter had also penned the story for Ugram. Vijay talks to CE about his film, playing a crucial role in the reinvention of Allari Naresh and more.

Excerpts 

How did the idea of Ugram come into being?

We all went into lockdown after we shot the first schedule of Naandhi. We were at home like everyone else, and that is when we got the idea to make a film about missing people, especially how families cope with the disappearance of their loved ones. Naresh fit the bill perfectly for Ugram as well, he liked the story too. We went into production once he finished shooting for Itlu Maredumilli Prajaneekam. We spent six months researching Ugram's story, interacting with many police officers and reading a lot of case files in the process. That is the Naandhi (beginning) of Ugram (chuckles). 

You work very closely with your writer Toom Venkat, he has also written Naandhi’s story…

Venkat and I go way back, we were friends in our assistant director days and we started collaborating after we decided to make our own films. While I take care of the direction, it is Venkat who does the heavy lifting in the writing department. Venkat is a huge reason behind why Naandhi and now Ugram have a realistic tone and a focus on social justice. He reads the news all the time, even during shoots. I am also a bit like that, I don't read a lot of books or watch a lot of films. I am inspired by real life, my films are very close to reality. 

What are the key differences between Naandhi and Ugram?

Naandhi and Ugram are going to be very different films. One is a legal drama, the other is a procedural drama. Naresh played a victim in the former, he is playing the role of a police officer in the latter. Unlike Naandhi, where the scenes are slower and its moments more sustained, Ugram is an intense action film. The budget of Ugram is three times higher than the budget of Naandhi. We also shot significant portions of Ugram at night, which is another major distinguishing factor. 

What was your brief to Allari Naresh, for his role in Ugram? 

I did not give him any specific inputs in terms of acting before we went on floors. I did ask him to do some workouts, not for a chiselled body but rather, for a stiff look. The role he is essaying in Ugram is that of someone confident, so Naresh had to mould his body language accordingly, and ensure he makes firm eye contact with everyone he speaks.

It is considered risky to cast a comic actor in a role so intense and aggressive…

I think people will connect to the role, as long as the story is genuine. I might end up writing star vehicles in the future but as of now, I write roles for stories, not the other way around. As far as comic actors doing serious roles are considered, Soori was the protagonist of Vetrimaaran’s Viduthalai, and he was accepted so well, wasn’t he? 

There were reports of you working next with Naga Chaitanya, when will that project go on floors?

I have narrated my story to Naga Chaitanya, he liked 80 percent of my story…right up to the climax. I do not want to finalise anything till my actor is completely satisfied with the story, we are currently reworking the climax, and we are going back and forth with Chaitanya on this as well. You can expect an announcement, once Chaitanya is 100 percent satisfied with the story.

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