For the last few days, the makers of Rao Bahadur have been speaking highly about the film. 'Superstar' Mahesh Babu, who is presenting the film under his GMB Entertainments banner, also appreciated it after watching it. Satya Dev is playing the lead role, while Venkatesh Maha has directed the film. Chinta Gopalakrishna Reddy, Anurag Reddy and Sarath Chandra are jointly producing this film, which is hitting the screens on July 3.
“We watched the movie and have a lot of confidence in the film. I can proudly say that a film like Rao Bahadur is unique, and Telugu cinema has not seen something like this before,” begins Satya Dev.
The actor is elated that Mahesh Babu watched the film and appreciated it. Life came full circle as he played Mahesh Babu’s friend in Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu (2013), and now the superstar is presenting Satya Dev’s film. “It’s a great feeling for me. Recently, another trailer for Rao Bahadur was released, and Mahesh Babu garu lent his voice to it. When he said ‘Satya Dev In’ for this film, it gave me a great feeling that he is part of my movie, where I am playing the lead role, and he is presenting it.”
The actor also recalled his experience working with Mahesh Babu in Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu. “I told all my friends that there was a scene where Mahesh Babu put his arm on my shoulders. But after the film was released, that scene was deleted, and I felt bad because my friends asked me about it,” he shares, as he views Mahesh Babu presenting the film as a blessing born out of loss. “Now, Mahesh Babu garu is proudly presenting my film. These moments are very special in my life, and they motivate me to do more.”
Explaining Rao Bahadur’s plot, he says the film would be something that the trailer doesn’t make obvious. “After watching the trailer, people might feel it is a horror film because of some elements, but it is a complete psychological drama,” he says, as he recounts the makeover he had to undergo for the film. Satya Dev says he took inspiration from the likes of Kamal Haasan and Vikram. “I knew my character needed heavy make-up and more effort than my regular films. Actors like Kamal Haasan sir, Vikram sir, Suriya anna, and Dhanush sir always try different films. I always wanted to do something like that, and this opportunity came through director Venkatesh Maha. I was very excited when I started this film.”
The actor gave a rundown of his daily strenuous make-up routine. “I used to wake up at 3 am, finish my medication and reach the sets by 4 am. The make-up itself took nearly five to six hours, and we started shooting around 9 am,” he says, adding that he needed to carry the look for around 12 hours and the removal was also another elaborate process. “The shoot continued till 9 pm, and removing the make-up took another one and a half hours. I used to reach home around 11.30 pm.”
Satya Dev reveals that his character, Ramappa, is of royal lineage, a figure with no historical references to draw from. He says the absence of source material made it particularly interesting to create an original character. “We didn’t take any references for Ramappa. We wanted to create something original. Maybe in the future, people might take Ramappa as a reference.” The actor adds that his character was physically demanding as he needed to carry the heavy makeup. “We used ropes many times, and with heavy make-up, it became more physically challenging than acting.”
Expressing confidence in the Telugu audience’s healthy film consumption, Satya Dev says he is positive about Rao Bahadur. “When Malayalam and Tamil films with good content are released in Telugu, our audience supports them. I believe they will encourage Rao Bahadur in the same way.”
The actor also politely refuses to entertain comparisons between himself and Kamal Haasan and clarifies that Venkatesh Maha’s statement should not be taken the wrong way. “What Maha said came out of love and respect. He didn’t directly compare me with Kamal Haasan sir. He wanted to say that an actor like Kamal Haasan explored different roles in his younger days, and I am also trying different films. It was said positively, but it was understood differently,” he explains.
Satya Dev admits that he is still waiting for the big commercial break in his career and believes the tide of fortune will turn his side with Rao Bahadur. “Some of my films didn’t get proper marketing or reach the audience. The stories were good, but somewhere along the line, execution or marketing didn’t work. I believe with Rao Bahadur, those things will change. This film is definitely going to be special for me and prove to be a turning point.”
Apart from Rao Bahadur, Satya Dev has several projects lined up, including Samavarthi and Full Bottle. “I am doing a comedy film next; then Samavarthi is an action film. All my upcoming films are different from each other,” he signs off.
