Surya Teja Aelay: Had to leave my emotions behind while writing Bharathanatyam

Surya Teja Aelay made his film debut with the crime comedy Bharathanatyam, which was released in theatres on April 5. However, Surya, who is also the scriptwriter of the film, clarifies that his foray into acting happened by accident. He says, “I had no intention to become a hero. I just wanted to be a part of the film industry, perhaps join film direction. It’s only in my college years that I developed an interest in writing stories.”

Talking about how the project took off, Surya describes his meeting with producer Hitesh Saraf as yet another happenstance. He explains, “Hitesh Gaaru and I would often meet at the gym. He once mentioned that he was planning to make a film and asked if I had any plans. I gave him a 30-minute narration and handed my script over to him. Once he okayed the script, I told him that I would assemble the team.” The writer-actor then met filmmaker KVR Mahendra for a narration, followed by a joint meeting with Hitesh and Mahendra two days later. Recounting memories from the pre-production phase, Surya adds, “We opened the office on July 16, within 20 days of that meeting. The pre-production phase took a little time, and we began shooting only on October 10 last year.”

 Surya describes the story of Bharathanatyam as ‘fictional but relatable.’ He explains, “It’s a story about what happens when a man decides to take shortcuts in life to succeed. It can happen to us. I then borrowed from the struggles I personally faced in the industry and gave them a comical angle.” At the same time, Surya clarifies that the film does not try to push any ‘message’ in the movie and that Bharathanatyam is a pure commercial entertainer. 

While Surya always wanted to be a director, the editing sessions of Bharathanatyam were a great learning experience for the writer-actor. The debutant elaborates, “When I was writing, I had to consciously leave my emotions behind and think from a more commercial perspective. So I expanded on the comedy track while ensuring story progression at the same time. And yet, when we sat in the edit room, we had to trim a lot of the comedy.” Further talking about his learnings, Surya adds, “A lot changes from the script to the final cut. If you achieve even 30 percent of your original idea, it’s great. And I believe we have that with Bharathanatyam.”

Pondering his equation with director KVR Mahendra, Surya states that he shares a very comfortable rapport with the filmmaker. He adds, “Despite being a much more senior filmmaker, he never tries to command. There is a sense of freedom with him. On sets, we never had egos between us. Even after the shoot, we continue to share a similar comfort.”

Talking about his influences in Telugu cinema, Surya mentions directors Krishna Vamsi and Trivikram, adding, “I like them a lot, both as people and as filmmakers. However, inspiration comes from everyone, because art comes from life.” When asked whether he ever considered directing Bharathanatyam himself, Surya is quick to clarify, “My producers had suggested the idea, but I said no. If everyone comes together, that’s when it is cinema, because cinema is always a collaborative process.” 

The debutant also registers his gratitude to the producers, Hitesh and Payal Saraf, for their support. He says, “Payal ma’am is very interested in cinema. She was also very sure about casting well-known faces without going over budget.” Talking about Hitesh’s unconditional support, Surya states, “Before making a film together, you have to trust someone as a person first, then as a creative professional—Hitesh sir did that for me. If such a small film is getting such huge publicity today, it’s all because of them.”

Surya, who took courses both in acting and filmmaking before entering the film industry, says that he finds writing much easier. Recalling the experience of getting used to acting, Surya adds, “In the initial days, I was totally clueless about the frills of acting, like how to fix your hair and make-up for a shot. Even now, sometimes, when I watch myself on screen, it feels a little weird.” 

Surya also lightheartedly quips that he has yet to learn the ‘politics’ of the industry. He elaborates, “I am still getting the hang of the industry. In a commercial and glamorous place like this, there is a certain way to conduct yourself. I am still learning it.”