Coming-of-age Screenplay is Key to Success

Famed Tollywood writer-turned-producer Kona Venkat who completed 25 years in the industry is not worried about competition from young writers. He rocked digital space with ‘Puli Peka’ but admits that it’s challenging times for writers due to OTT onslaught. He believes that human relationships, love and separation are the same for a story, but coming-of-age screenplay is the key. He tells Deccan Chronicle that comedy hasn’t become stale rather evolving.

A: You have completed 25 years and 55 films as a writer? What keeps you going?

Q: Learning new things is quite challenging which is keeping my spirits and interest quite high. As a writer, I have to study changing narrative styles, novelty in plots besides altering taste of viewers as well. For me age is just a number because creative people thrive on knowledge enhancement and I have mastered new tricks. I  also regularly interact with young minds as I connect with their bubbling ideas and energy with ease.  

Q: Aren’t you worried about losing space to young writers?

A: Frankly no. Because I have built my own brand and established my credentials and sensibilities with big stars and viewers too. It could be Hollywood or Tollywood, but human relationships and emotions are almost the same. New age audience wants emotional bondings to be conveyed subtlety avoiding old style melodrama. So, in ‘Waltair Veerayya’, we narrated the brotherhood of Chiranjeevi and Ravi Teja in a non-linear fashion with a modern tweak and it paid off. I am game for novel storytelling styles.

Q: You explored digital space with the web series ‘Puli Peka’ and how different it is from movies?

A: I indulged in binge watching during lockdown and I was hooked to web series from varied languages and realized that they used to end every 30-minute episode with a ‘cliiffhanger, forcing viewers to wait  for the next one without a break. No doubt, it is a challenging time for writers because we had to compete with creators around the world in the digital space. However, my first attempt ‘Puli Peka’ impressed viewers in the UK, USA and Australia as informed by Zee 5. I am planning two more web series to give some sleepless nights to viewers via binge watching.   

Q: Your brand of comedy began to become stale?

A: Some critics tore me apart for repetitive comedy. Even though our so called ‘bakra’ comedy involving ace comedian Brahmanandam shattered box office records starting from ‘Dhee’ to “Badshah’. I changed my style and wrote a new age love story ‘Ninnu Kori’ which spun box office magic without my patent comedy track. I silenced my detractors by proving that I can dabble with different genres.     

Q: But the success of ‘Samajavaragamana’ seems to have revived the comedy genre?

A: It is a fact that Telugu audiences have begun to patronize laugh-riots but it should be situational rather than slapstick. I am planning a rib-tickler with actor Sree Vishnu, which would leave the audience in splits. I also showed a new way in horror comedy with ‘Geetanjali’ and I am making its sequel very soon. I am introducing two directors and I wish to continue this habit of encouraging young talents which makes me feel happy within.