Mass Maharaja Ravi Teja’s PAN Indian film Tiger Nageswara Rao will release in theatres on October 20. Directed by Vamsee, the action drama has Nupur Sanon and Gayatri Bharadwaj as the female leads. The film produced by Abhishek Agarwal is based on a few real-life incidents. GV Prakash Kumar composed the tunes. Ahead of the release, director Vamsee interacted with the media, and here is the transcript.
What made you do a film on Tiger Nageswara Rao?
Filmmakers need to do commercial films. Also, any director would love to do a biopic. I have been planning to make a biopic for a long time. When I was thinking about whose story I should present on the big screens, Tiger Nageswara Rao came to my mind. Directors generally make biopics of film stars, cricketers, and politicians, but I wanted to do something unique. I was pleasantly surprised after learning about Tiger Nageswara Rao.
How challenging was it for you regarding the research part?
I went to Stuartpuram and met the local people there. I spoke to Tiger Nageswara Rao’s wife, brother, and many others, including the police officials. There are no proofs about him, and hence, I said that the film is based on true rumors. He is someone who informs in advance about the robberies he will commit. The biggest challenge for me was to tell this story in a convincing manner.
This is your biggest film to date. How are you handling the pressure?
I am not having any pressure as such. My first film is like a visiting card. There is no need to worry when we have someone like Ravi Teja Garu and Abhishek Garu who believes in the director. I was very particular about casting. I presented Jisshu Sengupta and Harish Peradi in a new manner.
How are you feeling as your film is releasing alongside two big films, Leo and Bhagavanth Kesari?
This is Dussehra festival, which can accommodate all the films. I want Balayya Garu’s film to perform well. From the beginning, we wanted to release the film for Dussehra 2023. Telugu audiences love movies immensely, and they will watch all the films. Reliance Entertainments in Hindi and Studio Green in Tamil are releasing the film.
Other filmmakers also tried to make a film on Tiger Nageswara Rao. How do you see it?
It is true that others tried to make a film on Tiger Nageswara Rao. I wasn’t thinking about others and was only focused on my version. I have done extensive research, and I am sure I told the story with utmost conviction.
Don’t you think the film has a lengthy runtime?
Is this the first film which has a lengthy runtime? What is the average duration for a film? What is the runtime of RRR? You need not worry about the runtime. This is a biopic, and I need to tell a few things in detail. I could keep the film short if it were a typical commercial film.
