Venkatesh Daggubati in ‘Sankranti Vasthoonam’ Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The atmosphere in Venkatesh Daggubati’s office at Ramanaidu Studios in Hyderabad is pleasant. During this interview for his new Telugu film sankrantiki vasthunam (We are coming during Sankranti), says the actor, “I give importance to peace of mind and tell people around me to also try and have a positive attitude.” Amidst the promotion of this film, he is also working on season two of the Hindi-Telugu Netflix web series. Rana NaiduHis nephew, Rana Daggubati co-stars.
Post sankrantiki vasthunam And Rana Naidu Season Two, Venkatesh has not finalized his next film. “I am not a creator. So I wait in the hope that some director will come to me with an interesting script. It will be done in no time.” He has been acting for 38 years and reflects, “I have learned the importance of patience even more at this stage of my career. I humbly accept that I have played a good innings so far and look forward to the next step.
Anil Ravipudi, bright spark
sankrantiki vashunamWhich he describes as a comedy-filled entertainer, marks his third collaboration with director Anil Ravipudi. Venkatesh’s first meeting with Anil was on the set. Spices (2013), for which he was the screenwriter. “Rana and my brother (producer Sureshbabu) also knew Anil since then; We could feel the spark in his writing. Anil was also working together Patas (His directorial debut). we knew Patas There was a potential winner and we were happy when it became the winner.”
Meenakshi Choudhary, Venkatesh and Aishwarya Rajesh. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Venkatesh and Anil worked together for comedy films F2 (Fun and Frustration) And F3teaming up again for sankrantiki vasthunamThey decided to keep things subtle. “The loud comedy worked F2 And F3 Because the characters and situations were written that way. In sankrantiki vasthunamWe wanted to keep things simple and still make people laugh. The story has a crime sub-plot, which adds a refreshing touch to the film. We go completely crazy in the climax.”
The story of the film starring Aishwarya Rajesh and Meenakshi Choudhary in the lead roles unfolds during the Sankranti festival. Venkatesh revealed that like his other recent films, the narrative addresses the age difference between him and the female characters. He further adds that the writing also ensures that the comedy scenes in which his character grapples with his wife’s sense of possessiveness when she comes across his ex-wife do not end up being awkward or inappropriate. “There are instances where I say, ‘I hope I’m not hurting anyone’, just to make sure things are smooth.”
sankrantiki vasthunam It was shot in approximately 70 days and Venkatesh credits Anil’s disciplined working style for this. “He is working hard and his friendly attitude keeps the set lively. He is efficient and does not get distracted.” Many discussions took place between Venkatesh and Anil while the script was being developed. “We were on the same page. We worked towards fixing the minor flaws that we identified. In filmmaking, we may not get it 100% right; Perfection involves time. We move ahead if we are sure that we are getting more than 70% (of the script) right.”
Venkatesh went out with Anil, Meenakshi, Aishwarya and producer Dil Raju to promote the film and danced to the songs. “I enjoyed dancing to the songs (Bheems Cesarolio’s music). It is difficult to estimate how much promotion is necessary for a film. Since it is a festive entertainer, we have increased the promotions. I doubt whether this strategy would work for an intense film. Venkatesh has also sung a special Pongal song in the film, eight years after singing ‘Jhingidi Jhingidi’. Teacher (2017).
OG family star
‘Sankranti Vasthoonam’ is Venkatesh’s 76th film. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Over his long career, Venkatesh’s effective portrayals in both comedy and emotional spheres have made him a favorite among family audiences. He recalls how he has watched his films in theaters over the years to gauge the audience’s reaction. “People were silent during comedy scenes in one of my early films. It seemed as if they were analyzing whether I would be able to perform well. Once people accept you as an actor, they cheer you wholeheartedly. like comedy in movies abbaigaru, aunty And intalo ilaalu vantintalo priyuralu appreciated and then Nuvvu Naku Nachav, Malleshwari And other films followed.
In the early 1990s when Venkatesh chose to be a part of SunderkandaThis is from director K. Telugu remake of Bhagyaraj’s Tamil film beautiful tuberoseWell-wishers dissuaded him. “Since I found Bhagyaraj’s comic timing and subtle humor refreshing, I went ahead. The genre of comedy I acted in Nuvvu Naku Nachaav Reflected my personality in school and college. I have to thank the audience for accepting me in all these films.
His 75th film was released last Sankranti, SaindhavA thought-provoking action drama. The film did not perform well at the box office. “It should not have been released during the festival season,” says Venkatesh. Taking stock of the film, he says, “We wanted to create a different world on the lines of Gotham City, but we couldn’t achieve that. What we thought. The audience might also have been disappointed by my character not being able to save his daughter.” Still, he is proud of the effort put into the film. “I really enjoyed working with Shailesh (director Shailesh Kolanu). He is much younger than me but we used to be like college friends. He made me perform very well.”
Venkatesh says box office results don’t bother him. This stems from going through the uncertainties of cinema for almost four decades; He also gives credit for this to his spiritual inclination. One wall of his office is decorated with images of thinkers and philosophers like Ramana Maharshi and Swami Vivekananda. “With all due respect to the worldly comforts I enjoy, I prefer to surrender to the higher energy that inspires me. I am honest towards my work, but I don’t pay attention to success and failure. To be honest, even now when I am talking to you, I am not completely here. I do this as per my responsibility as an actor. There is something above all this.”
(Sankranti Vaastunam released on January 14)
published – January 13, 2025 03:27 PM IST
