Nagarjuna has an irresistible swag: Rahul Ravindran

Although filmmaker Rahul Ravindran was applauded for his directorial skills in his debut film Chi Law Sow, he claims he was lucky that only in his second outing, he was offered Manmadhudu 2, a project that gave him the opportunity to direct Nagarjuna.

“I still remember the day Nag sir called me on and offered me the project, I was euphoric. And though I was trying to control my emotions during the conversation, I think he could see the ecstasy in my eyes,” recalls Rahul, admitting that he had never imagined he would get to direct Nag.

Describing Nag as someone who is always “chilled out”, Rahul shares, “Nag Sir is such a pure soul that he likes people around him to be their natural self; he gets irritated when they begin to pretend. In the film, Nag sir has lived the character of a Casanova, and the swag that he brought to the role was irresistible. The most gratifying aspect was that he thoroughly enjoyed playing the part.”

Manmadhudu 2 is an official remake of a French film, but Rahul and Co have made a conscious effort not to reveal the film’s name. “I don’t want the audience to walk into the theatre with a pre-determined thought. I want them to experience the true emotions of the story first hand,” he reveals adding that penning the screenplay from the scratch was the most challenging part.

“That’s because we have envisioned the film from a different angle, as a result of which we could come up with a narrative that has a wider reach — the synergy of creative writing and commercial insight.”

Rahul himself is an actor, but acting for him has taken a backseat for now. “Films are my magnificent obsession, and I have been getting great opportunities to direct films, so I’m enjoying and taking things as they come,” he explains.