Varun and his retro muscle car

Varun Tej’s upcoming film Gandeevadhari Arjuna has been in the news for its stylish filmmaking. A crucial episode of the Praveen Sattaru directorial was recently completed in the UK using a vintage car — a 1969 Mustang Mach 1. The car plays an important role in the action entertainer, according to the director.   

“It was my idea; when the protagonist had to travel by a classic muscle car, I did extensive research and finalised the Mustang,” Praveen says, adding that it took him three months to track down and acquire the car from an 80-year-old man in the UK who had bought it in his teens. “It’s the  kind of car that every teenaged boy would like, to  flaunt machismo,” explains the director, adding that the car (Baby) has a lot of significance and is part of the protagonist’s journey in the film. Says Praveen,  “What the Kapi Dhwaja (chariot) is to Arjuna in the Kurukshetra War, the Mustang Mach (car) is to Varun in the film. The car reflects the hero’s character arc and attitude.”

The car was customised (in UK) to suit the requirements. The steering wheel is thin; the gear rod has a skull; the body has a lot of army stickers, a new engine was installed  and it was given a paint job as part of the makeover. “It took over 30 days to get the desired result,” he adds.