Bandipotu is an intelligent comedy: Allari Naresh

Q. Were you contemplating for a long time to revive EVV Cinema banner launched by your father?
Naresh: Inspired by D Ramanaidu garu, my father launched the banner in 1999 to introduce new talent and technicians to the industry. Chala Bagundhi was our first film and I worked as a cashier then. The first compliment I received in my life was from Amitabh Bachchan who acted in the Hindi version of Suryavamsham directed by my dad.Big B was in Hyderabad for an event and learnt about me and told my father, ���Your son reminds me of Abhishek. He should be acting in films.��� I was elated and that���s when I first began thinking of taking up a career in films as an actor. My father always thought I would become a director, so it came as a shock to him. But he encouraged me to pursue my ambition. After producing four films under the EVV Cinemas banner, he wanted to work with other actors and directors, but couple of films didn���t work out. Post the success of Athili Satthibabu LKG, he was once again keen on producing three films a year, but before he could do something about it, he passed away in 2011. It took us a long time to come to terms with his death. He was like a banyan tree for the whole family. Soon, my brother (Rajesh) got married and we have been seriously thinking about reviving the banner since 2012.
Rajesh: Reviving the EVV Cinema banner was on our mind for a long time. My dad just loved making films and nothing made him happier. I remember my father beaming with pride and smile when Chiranjeevigaru praised him soon after he saw Prema Kaidi. I have never seen my father so happier in my life. Before that, he was struggling a lot in his life, both emotionally and financially. Once he tasted success, he always used to tell us to never forget where we came from and be down to earth. It���s our way of paying homage to dad.
Q. So how did Bandipotu happen?
Naresh: Both Rajesh and I want to make clean family entertainers under our home banner. When we began looking for a suitable director, we thought of Mohana Krishna Indraganti. He���s a wonderful director and he once had told me that his mom and aunt like me a lot and that they wanted him (Indraganti) to work with me. I had only one condition ��� that Bandipotu should be an intelligent comedy. I was tired of people complaining that ���you have to keep your brains at home��� to enjoy my films.
Mohana Krishna Indraganti came up with a bound script long before we began shooting. It is only the second time in my career that I was handed a bound script. Mohan was keen on giving me a complete makeover and we worked hard to strike a balance between his style of approach to cinema and what people expect from me. My acting will be a lot more subtle in the film since I play an intelligent conman. I have three different variations in the film.
Q. People expect Allari Naresh���s films to be laugh riots. That must put extra pressure?
Naresh: Absolutely! Of late, almost all the top actors in the industry have been concentrating on having enough ���entertainment��� in their films. I have been doing comedy films for more than a decade, and people expect more from me. The comedy genre is quite underrated. It���s extremely difficult to make people laugh. Every scene has to be refreshing and I am hoping that Bandipotu will strike a chord with the audience.
Rajesh: The comedy in film is going to come as a surprise for the audiences but will leave them in splits nevertheless.
Q. You brothers seem to have created a good first impression, as producers...
Rajesh: That���s probably because we pay everyone on time (laughs). On a serious note, both Naresh and I are actors, so we treat everyone with the same respect and care that we expect as actors. Besides, it���s really important that artistes��� needs are taken care of before they come to the sets, otherwise they can���t focus on the job properly.
Q. How has the experience been of being a producer compared to acting?
Rajesh: Acting in films is a lot easier than producing them. I assisted my father when he was producing films in the past, but I must say that production of films has changed a lot in the past few years and it���s tougher these days. Audiences are a lot more aware of cinema and they can pin-point what went wrong, if they don���t like a film. It���s more difficult to deliver a good film these days.
Q. What���s the biggest lesson you have learnt from your father?
Naresh: His first film, Chevilo Puvvu had failed to click at the box-office and he wasn���t sure if he should continue directing films after that. Four years later, by the time he made Hello Brother, he became so popular and busy that at point of time, there were nearly 22 cars outside our house, with scores of producers and others flocking to work with him. When he was in a low phase of his career, nobody was seen in the near vicinity, but the goodwill he earned in the industry persisted. His whole journey was a lesson in itself which makes me work harder.
Rajesh: He taught us to stick together no matter what happens. Family meant everything to him and despite facing challenges throughout his life, he never let that affect us. More than anything, he taught us to be grounded no matter what happens.
Bandipotu, produced by Rajesh Eedara under EVV Cinema,releases today (February 20)