Dil Raju is ready with his new release Thank You starring Chay Akkineni. On this occasion, we caught up with Dil Raju for a detailed interview. Here is the transcript.
How was this project born?
Writer BVS Ravi narrated this script three years back. I liked the idea and sat with my team and created a strong storyline. We pitched it to Vikram Kumar and he too loved it and came on board to direct the film.
Did Vikram Kumar reach your expectations?
Yes, he reached 90% of my expectations. He narrated the film in a superb manner as every scene has his touch and sensibility. I am happy with the way the final output has come out.
About working with Chay Akkineni?
He is improving with each passing film these days. In Thank You, he has done a wonderful job and will surprise everyone with his maturity.
Why theatrical releases are not seeing revenue these days?
There are two reasons for this. One is the audience is not ready to spend much money to watch mediocre content on the big screens. Also, as films are coming out so fastly on OTT, not many are coming to the theaters. Personally, I feel, the OTT release should happen at least after 10 weeks of the film’s release.
About your Hindi release HIT?
When we started the film, we were very clear that the film would not see openings. But to our surprise, the collections are growing slowly and we are happy with it.
What’s your take on the fluctuating ticket rates of Telugu films?
As a distributor, I have no say in the ticket prices. But when it comes to being a producer, I take a call and fix the issue. For Thank You, we have fixed reasonable prices only.
Tell us about the key industry meeting that will happen soon?
So many meetings are going on simultaneously. In every meeting, we are discussing why films are not working. We need to seriously understand where we are going wrong and correct it. One issue is with the budget. When budgets come down, the loss faced will also come down.