Stories from the soil are honest'

Director Vamsee has always been keen on an intense script, filled with optimism and positivity. When he was researching the late Tiger Nageswara Rao, the ‘thief of Stuvartupuram’, he realised that there was more to him than being a burglar. “Imagine, three lakh people turned up to get a final glimpse of him at his funeral — that means there’s a story to tell,” he said. Since there was limited data available about the man online, the director went deeper, and found out several interesting aspects about his modus operandi. He spoke to Nageswara Rao’s relatives and his peers to learn more about him. “What amazed me about Nageswara Rao was his undying spirit. I wanted to chronicle his ability to remain optimistic despite all the hurdles. I believe today we need such inspiring tales of optimism,” says Vamsee, adding that the story has several life lessons.

Ravi Teja is passionate about work, and hence was the natural choice for the title role, the director explains. The actor heard the entire narration for over two hours. “Ravi Teja garu knew about Nageswara Rao and his activities in the 1970s. He liked the way his character was designed and the layers that went into it. After the narration, he discussed his makeover,” reveals Vamsee.