‘The success of Evaru belongs to the whole cast and crew’

It’s been a week since Venkat Ramji has burst on to the scene with an emphatic Tollywood debut, Evaru. “I’m delighted with the response Evaru has received but this success is not mine alone — it belongs to the entire cast and crew who have worked hard for this,” says an excited Ramji.
Hailing from a family of engineers, Ramji says it was only natural for him to continue in the same vein academically, but admits he always wanted to be part of the film world.“I went to the US to study engineering, but it was only in the hope that I could also study filmmaking there without my family’s knowledge. While I never got the chance to do so, I did study theatre direction,” the filmmaker shares.
It was producer Gunnam Gangaraju who offered Ramji his first break. He started off by writing 30 episodes for the serial Laya, and later worked as assistant director for films like Kurradu and Anaganaga O Dheerudu. “The experience of working on these films helped me improve my writing. I also learnt how to be composed while working,” he says.
It was later on the sets of Size Zero (2016), for which he was involved in creative marketing, that he met PVP, the producer of Evaru, for the first time. “During that phase, I had realised that I was ready for direction. I went to PVP to narrate my story and instead, he ended up asking me to direct Evaru. I was at the right place at the right time,” says Ramji, adding, “Evaru has taught me the importance of team work. Life has not changed for me after the success though, I’m still the casual shorts and tee-shirt wearing guy. But I am keen to explore and make more films soon. ”
Produced by PVP under PVP Cinema, Evaru is running successfully in theatres.
— Neeshita.Nyayapati@timesgroup.com