Pavan Prabha: I made Shashtipoorthi to portray the love and greatness of parents

Pavan Prabha is making his directorial debut with the relationship drama Shashtipoorthi that hits theatres on May 30. Ahead of his debut, the filmmaker spoke about the core themes of his film, approaching Ilaiyaraaja for the project, and more.

Pavan, who has worked as an assistant director in Fitting Master before venturing out on his own, stated that he took a long break before after his AD days, which helped him understand cinema better. He said, “From the beginning, I had complete clarity about Shashtipoorthi. It takes immense courage to ask artists like Rajendra Prasad garu or Archana garu for a second take. If they ask why, I should be in a position to explain clearly and convincingly. The character played by Rajendra Prasad garu is not something you’d find in the outside world.”

Talking about his reasons for writing this story, Pawan noted, “I come from a large joint family, so I know what it means to be surrounded by love. But nowadays, some people see even their parents as a burden. I made Shashtipoorthi to showcase the greatness of parents and the value of their love."

Shashtipoorthi is produced by Rupeysh, who also plays the lead role. Pawan praised Rupeysh for investing in the film, adding, “He completely took it upon himself after hearing the story. If the producers feel the emotional depth of a story, only then the film can move forward. Producing films like Shashtipoorthi is more harder than directing them.”

Pavan spoke at length about the experience of working with the legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja, adding how he was also sure about having him onboard for the film. The debutant filmmaker recalled narrating the story to the maestro, and telling him, “This story is set on the banks of the Godavari. Such a story needs your music.” The director also mentioned how Ilaiyaraaja said he would decide where the songs should be placed in the narrative. “Ilaiyaraaja sir gave us multiple options for every song, and composed them all within minutes,” he added. 

Pavan also mentioned that he has a few other projects lined up. “The stories are finalised, and I will announce the details soon. But with this film, I’ve learned a lot — which will definitely help me in the future,” he concluded.