Satyadev: Krishnamma portrays Vijayawada beyond rowdyism and politics

Satyadev, who plays the lead role in the upcoming action-drama Krishnamma, has charted a long journey over his fifteen-year-long stint in the film industry. The actor states that he would like to live up to the standard he has created for himself over the years, saying, “Whatever role I accept now needs to be on par with my previous films, if not bigger in scope. I want to maintain that standard for myself.”

Krishnamma, directed by VV Gopala Krishna, is set in Vijayawada of the late 2000s. The actor reinstates that Krishnamma is an ‘anti-stereotype’ film, going against the usual portrayal of Vijayawada as a crime-riddled town. He elaborates, “It is the story of three friends whose only dream in life is to have a family. It’s almost like a basic right for anyone. Our film shows how sometimes even basic rights are not granted by society and how simple lives get shattered in the process. Krishnamma portrays Vijayawada beyond rowdyism and politics.”

Satyadev reflects how the audience will relate to the protagonist’s fight and quest for revenge, saying, “A film works if you feel the protagonist is doing the right thing, and his decisions resonate with you. All the action episodes in the film will feel justified because they have an emotional drive. It makes us feel that we would react the same way if those things happened to us.”

The actor is full of praise for his Krishnamma director VV Gopala Krishna, saying, “While the first half is entirely about set-ups, the second half is all about payoffs, which are sure to give goosebumps.” The actor particularly talks about the use of a small plant in the narrative as a symbol for revenge nurtured by the protagonist and the impact it creates in the film, adding, “I didn't know one could look at a plant in this manner.”

Talking about his preparation for the role, Satyadev states that the hardest part of his job was cracking the rural accent and grasping those minor body language nuances of a 40-year-old. “It’s a rooted yet mass character written by Gopala, and it’s a great challenge to play such a rustic character after a series of sophisticated characters,” adds Satyadev. Further talking about the shooting process of the film, Satyadev credits his producer, Krishna Kommalapati for showing implicit belief in the story and director’s vision, informing us that they shot for 60 days, entirely in Vijayawada. “He has great passion for cinema and has done his best for the film. We shot everything in Vijayawada. Any other producer would have pushed to recreate the rural setup in Hyderabad,” the Krishnamma actor adds.

When asked what sets Krishnamma apart from other action dramas that have been released lately, Satyadev sounds assured about the film finding its target audience in theatres on May 10. The actor recalls the time when his 2021 film Thimmarusu released at the peak of the COVID pandemic and did good business. He says, “It was my first theatrical hit, despite such adverse conditions. During a normal phase, it could have done much more. We are in a much better phase now, so I believe Krishnamma will work.”

In 2022, Satyadev worked in the Akshay Kumar starrer Ram Setu and earned a lot of recognition for his performance in the Hindi film. The actor shares that he has received a few offers from Bollywood since, but none on par with his role in Ram Setu. He adds, “After Ram Setu, people in the north are recognising me. It was a different high, and now it’s difficult to reach that level. Now, whatever role I accept needs to match that.” Satyadev also talks about receiving plenty of offers from Tamil Cinema and that he will probably accept some of those in the near future. 

Satyadev is also turning producer with his next film Full Bottle, where he plays an auto driver named Mercury Soori. The actor clarifies that his involvement as a producer was accidental, elaborating, “I became part of the production due to some reasons, largely to push the film ahead. There were no calculations behind doing it. In fact, the label of being a ‘producer’ brings further responsibility from your end.”

The actor has another project in the pipeline, namely Zebra, where he plays a banker. Talking about the two upcoming films, Satyadev asserts that both of these roles are drastically different from Krishnamma, adding, “Not even one percent matches among these three roles.” The actor says he has been consciously trying to do a variety of films. “I am trying to do something under the sun, and see what connects with the audience. Maybe they are expecting the same from me,” he sums up.