Tillu on steroids

When we made DJ Tillu, nobody knew what to expect from the titular character. We ourselves were unsure of how the character would be perceived. Over the last two years, Tillu acquired a life of its own and became a household name. Certain expectations came along with this love, and this is what we had to factor in while crafting a sequel. There was a bit of story extension and a full character extension in the sequel. We retained the crime comedy genre, but the trick was to retain the elements that comforted the audience without courting monotony. 

Yes. Tillu in Tillu Square is an even more exaggerated version; think of him as your regular Tillu on steroids. Now, we did not make this decision to exaggerate the character simply because it was a sequel; it is just that the stakes have significantly increased for it. The problems he faces in Tillu Square make him question his own self and sanity. 

No character, including Tillu’s, is bigger than the story. The story is written in such a way that even the smaller characters have their own fully formed arcs. No character is one-upping the other. The conflict between the characters and the chemistry shared by the leads make the film what it is. Every character coexists within the film's universe. 

Costumes are very important for the location and setting of the film. DJ Tillu was a guy who wore a lot of flashy, branded costumes. Even when he could not afford the clothes, he would stick labels on plain clothes because he is the ‘fake it till you make it’ kind of person. He is also a deeply insecure character. To hide his insecurities, he needed those clothes.

The only pressure I felt was with my hair (laughs). I could not chop it throughout the shoot, nor could I work in any other film. 

When you are too close to your project, you tend to lose all perspective. This is where someone like Trivikram enters the picture, with a rather aerial understanding of how things function. He is an established filmmaker in his own right. That said, there was never any handholding on his part. When I asked him for his input, he merely asked me to reconsider what I had written, suggesting a scenario or two that could probably work better. 

Acting out the lines you have written yourself is immensely helpful. When you are working with stories written by someone else, you have to spend extra time focusing on how they intended for a particular dialogue to be acted out. And sometimes they may not even communicate it to you that well. When you are performing based on a script you have written, you don’t face that problem. It is more advantageous for a film like Tillu Square because the character keeps talking throughout the film. I am already familiar with the rhythm and the pauses.

Tillu is 100% me, period. As individuals, we are both excessively honest to a fault. But what sets us apart is the fact that I keep my emotions bottled up, while Tillu never stops talking. 

Yes, and that may have something to do with the directors I have collaborated with on my films. For instance, Ravikanth Perepu, who directed Krishna and his Leela (2020), is this quiet, bespectacled person. The character I play in his film is like him—more restrained. Vimal Krishna, on the other hand, who directed DJ Tillu, let me go all out. I discussed everything that was on my mind, and it eventually went on to work in the film’s favour immensely.

I like writing strong women in my films. And by strong, I don’t mean feminist. It is more about them having a distinct personality. It can be pitch black, pitch white, or pitch grey. On top of that, it is about them having their own arc and a certain individuality towards life.

Adhi vere direction saar, aa bus ekkamu ante ekkadiko velipothamu (That is a whole other director, sir. If I get on that bus, there is no turning back) (laughs). But jokes apart, if people are asking me to write something, it means I know how to write. I might as well do that for myself and further my own career. 

Nobody can replace your first love, your first experience. DJ Tillu was my first. Tillu Square is also great, but I would rather not compare. 

I truly believe that Tillu Square is meant for the masses more than the critics. When you spend 300 rupees on a movie ticket, you are rooting for that movie to be good because you want to get your money’s worth. I cannot say the same about premiere shows. When people are compelled to criticise, they will criticise even at the cost of reason. And, yes, if we are making an art film, we might need critics and cinephiles to come over, watch the movie ahead of time, and write about it. Tillu Square is a straightforward, bona fide Tollywood entertainer. The proof is in the pudding. 

He was always interested in acting. In fact, he was more aware of cinema and the happenings of the film world back when he was living in the USA. One day, he just decided to move back to India and try his hand at acting. Since he is financially secure, I also encouraged him to do the same. I am happy that he has made a mark with his very first role. I did try to put him in Tillu Square, but I could not just put him in any small role. The role needs to be the right fit, which is why Bubblegum worked for him.

Nobody grows without adversity. Paiki ravali ante dhebba thagalaali (you need to take a few knocks to get ahead in life). Pain is great for character building. There were days when I had 50 rupees in my pocket. My parents could have given me 500 rupees, but I did not feel like asking them. When you attend a party, you see your peers drink four beers while you can only afford one. These things slowly affect you over the years and help you become who you are.

I am working on Bommarillu Bhaskar’s next film Jack - Konchem Krack, and 30-40 percent of it is already shot. Telusu Kada, my film with Neeraja Kona, will go on floors soon. There is also a film on the cards with Nandini Reddy; its story discussions are going on currently.