It took two years to recreate British-era sets for Kalyan Ram's Devil: Art director Gandhi

Kalyan Ram's upcoming film Devil is a period drama set in pre-Independence India during the 1940s. Art director Gandhi Nadikudikar, known for his work in films like George Reddy, Michael and Rakshasudu, admits it was a challenge to authentically recreate the era for the ambitious project. "It’s uncommon in Tollywood to encounter a film demanding more than a few set pieces. However, the extensive research for this one was quite remarkable," he says.

Admittedly, the art director drew inspiration from films like Richard Attenborough's Gandhi to understand British-influenced Indian architecture. “I watched the 1982 film Gandhi and a few other films to understand the architecture of an India that was heavily influenced by the tastes of their British rulers,” says Gandhi, adding, “It took us two years of pre-production, combing through a lot of books and travelling across the country to pull off the gothic style we needed. A lot of set pieces – from the furniture to the paintings – had to be recreated from scratch.”