Another debutant director is making his mark in Telugu cinema, as Janaki Ram Marella is set to make his directorial debut with Comrade Kalyan. Sree Vishnu and Mahima Nambiar are playing the lead pair, while Venkata Krishna and Sitha Karnati are producing the film under their Skanda Vahana Motion Pictures LLP banner. Writer Kona Venkat is presenting the film. Comrade Kalyan is hitting the screens on October 9, and Janaki Ram has waited for this opportunity for a long time.
Hailing from Ramachandrapuram in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, Janaki Ram moved to Chennai in 2010. “I became interested in films from then onwards and worked as an assistant director for a serial. Then I worked with Samuthirakani, and he encouraged me a lot,” said Janaki Ram, recalling his early days.
He later joined Manchu Manoj for Mr Nokia and Uu Kodathara Ulikki Padathara. “I narrated a story to Yash for a Kannada film, and he liked it, but it didn’t work out for some reason. Then I joined director Bobby Kolli garu in 2014,” said Janaki Ram. He added he gets emotional whenever he talks about Bobby Kolli. “He is a very good person and encouraged me a lot. I will always have gratitude towards him for the rest of my life,” said Janaki Ram.
While working with Bobby, he met writer and producer Kona Venkat. “I worked on the web series Puli Meka, and after that, I told this Comrade Kalyan story to Kona garu. He liked it and then narrated it to Sree Vishnu garu,” said Janaki Ram, explaining how the project came together.
Talking about the title, he said it comes directly from the story. “A person who is in some trouble changes his path, and what happens to him is narrated in an entertaining way. Sree Vishnu’s strong point is comedy, and he actually improvised in many scenes with his spontaneity,” said Janaki Ram.
He also revealed that the team took several risks while shooting in real locations. “To suit our story, we went deep into the forest. We shot in Agumbe forest near Mangalore, which is known for cobras. The entire unit took a big risk. In fact, we escaped from a major danger on the first day itself, but the team really worked hard,” said the director.
When asked why he opted for such risky locations instead of shooting in controlled environments, Janaki Ram said it was all for realism. “Nowadays, audiences are liking originality and want to see stories set in the real world. With the support of producer Kittu, Kona Venkat and Sree Vishnu, we were able to complete the shoot without many problems,” he said.
Talking about lead actor Sree Vishnu, the director said he would never forget the support he received from him. “He believes in the story, loves cinema and is always supportive of me. I hope I can live up to his belief in me with this film,” said Janaki Ram.
Radikaa Sarathkumar plays a key role in the film. “Radikaa garu is a fantastic actor and has played some memorable roles. In this film, she plays Balakrishna’s fan as well as Sree Vishnu’s mother. She has a very important role in the film,” said Janaki Ram.
Talking about comedian Satya, the director revealed that he has known the actor since his days as an assistant director. “When I wrote this story, I wrote Satya’s name for that character. Shine Tom Chacko’s character is also very important,” said the director.
The story is set against the backdrop of the Andhra-Odisha border. “Our Comrade Kalyan makes everyone laugh,” said Janaki Ram, signing off.
