Chintakindi Mallesham’s story to be immortalised in a biopic

The inspiring story of Padmashri awardee

Chintakindi Mallesham

is all set to come alive on the celluloid soon. Directed by debutant filmmaker Raj, the biopic will
narrate the journey of Mallesham, who went from being a school dropout to becoming the inventor of the now famous 'Asu machine', which revolutionised the production of Pochampally Ikat weaves.

Titled Mallesham, the film will see actor Priyadarshi play the title role, while Jhansi has been roped into play the role of his mother. The film will span over twelve years of Mallesham’s life, between the late 80s and 90s, and is based on an inspirational talk that he had given over a year ago.

A source from the directorial team informs, “We picked Priyadarshi for the titular role because we wanted the story of Mallesham to reach a wider audience. It’s an emotional story about a mother and son. A school dropout inventing a weaving machine without any prior knowledge of electronics or mechanics, is an improbable achievement. But it was his desire to help his mother, who would spend hours weaving, that made it happen. Today, it has become a source of employment for hundreds of women and helped them become independent.”

Apparently, Jhansi came on board as soon as she heard the script. “In fact, she worked very hard to get the Telangana slang right. The film is on the lines of Padman, where we’re narrating Mallesham’s story with a relatable fictional twist. The significance of Markandeya Puranam, that tells story of Sage Markandeya, the weaver of the Gods, who is believed to have woven the very first fabric using lotus fibre, has also been integrated into the film," adds the source.

Artist Laxman Aelay is handling the production design to ensure the rustic Nalgonda backdrop is portrayed with authenticity. Popular Telangana writer Peddinti Ashok Kumar has written dialogues for the film. Mallesham is being shot in sync sound in the interiors of a small town, Aleru. Almost 50 per cent of the shoot is completed.