Nandamuri Kalyanram is known for his knack for selecting new kinds of scripts both as a Hero and also as a Producer. His latest ‘Bimbisara’ is hitting the big screens on August 5. Nandamuri Kalyanram in his media interaction talks about the film, debut director Vassishta, making of the film, his future plans, NTR30, and more.
Inception Of Bimbisara
I was in the shoot of ‘NTR: Mahanayakudu’ when Vassishta came to me with the script of ‘Bimbisara’. He told me the script may not be logical but it is full of magic. I was excited after listening to the time-travel and fantasy-filled story. At that time, my character didn’t have shades of cruelty and menace.
About Makeover
I enjoyed the makeover I had to go through for this role. I got to explore myself and unleash my aggressive self on the big screen. After the ‘Baahubali’ movies, a standard has been set for what a king should look like. Two months of rigorous work had to be put in to design my look. I had a balanced diet of Basmati rice, ghee-free food, etc. I avoided junk food. You can definitely see Kalyanram 2.0 in this film. Tarak himself has said so.
About War Episodes
I am making it clear that our movie doesn’t have war episodes. It is all about an evil king who became noble. This is a socio-fantasy film that doesn’t have big-spectacle action blocks. It is in the zone of the Vittalacharya school of filmmaking in terms of fantasy elements.
About Doing Romantic Films
I have no interest in romantic movies. The genre doesn’t suit me at all. My first two films were love stories and they failed. Surender Reddy came to me with ‘Athanokkade’ and it was a hit. I have always shown an inclination toward teaming up with new directors.
About Bimbisara
‘Bimbisara’ is going to transcend your expectations. What you have seen in the trailer is just a sample. There are many shots and aspects in the film. And watching them on the big screen will be special. I never expected that I would one day do a film like ‘Bimbisara’. My father once told me that a story chooses its lead actors. Probably, the script of ‘Bimbisara’ felt that I am the right actor.
About Remaking NTR’s Films
It’s no joke to remake NTR garu’s movies. ‘Pathala Bhairavi’ has been a great creative inspiration to me. Balayya Babai got into the genre with ‘Bhairava Dweepam’ and succeeded.
About Audiences’ Interests
The Telugu audience has always been flocking to theatres. Indian audiences have no other entertainment other than cinema. Even on TV, we like to watch movies. Nowadays, trailers have become very important crowd-pulling avenues. That’s why filmmakers are bringing out lengthy trailers to convince the audience about what they have made. Then comes the importance of word of mouth. ‘Vikram’ and ‘Major’ became big hits. Neither of them had VFX. They were purely content-oriented. If you give the audience good content, they will definitely encourage you. Based on the trailer, the audience feels that ‘Bimbisara’ is refreshing. That’s why the advance bookings are encouraging!
About Involvement Towards Production Side
I am not taking care of production-related aspects at NTR Arts. My team looks after them. It would be a lot of pressure if you have to do both acting and production-related aspects. Even in the case of films like ‘ISM’ and ‘Pataas’, I didn’t get involved.
About Doing Multi-starrers
People ask me about multi-starrers. It took someone like Rajamouli to bring two big stars for ‘RRR’. It’s not so easy. You can’t afford to go wrong. The audiences’ high expectations have to be met.
About Doing Film With Balakrishna
NTR Arts once pitched an idea to Balayya Babai. That project didn’t happen because he didn’t like the story. Our banner definitely will approach him in the future if something arises.
About Bimbisara2
‘Bimbisara 2’ is going to be there for sure. The story is already ready. But I don’t know whether the third and fourth parts will be there. The wish is to turn ‘Bimbisara’ into a franchise. Since it is a fantasy story, it can possibly be expanded in the future with new elements.
About Bimbisara Business
As a producer, I am in a happy space as far as ‘Bimbisara’ is concerned. Digital rights and rights got by Dil Raju garu have fetched us good returns.
About Watching Bimbisara FDFS
On the release date, I am going to watch my film at Brahmaramba Theatre in Hyderabad. It’s my favorite theatre.
About NTR30
NTR30 is a huge treasure for us. We are not hiding any updates that we already have in our pocket. Tarak is going through huge pressure because the audience has high expectations. We don’t want to hurry through. We will take our time.
