Tej I Love You is K.S. Rama Rao’s 45th film as a producer, and he couldn’t be happier with the way it has shaped up. “I began my film career in 1967 as an assistant director, and then slowly turned to production. Now, I read a lot of novels and stories, so that definitely helps me choose good scripts for my films,” Rao says.
The producer says that except for four or five, all his films have done well at the box office. “The younger generation of actors is more professional. They’re choosing different kinds of stories, and that’s a good sign,” he says.
Talking about his upcoming film, which has been directed by Karunakaran, he says, “Both Anupama and Tej are looking good as lovers on screen. The chemistry between them seems natural.” The producer’s son, Vallabha, tried to make a name for himself as an actor long ago, but he eventually ended up following his father’s footsteps. “I am still dissatisfied at having been unable to support my son as a producer. Before his debut as an actor, I told him that I would be happy to see him as a producer. I explained to him the difficulties of being an artiste,” Rama Rao says.
The producer and superstar Chiranjeevi have been close friends for the past few decades.
“When we both sit together, we talk like old friends,” Rama Rao says. His next project, which will be directed by Kranthi Madhav, stars Vijay Deverakonda. “The female lead has not yet been finalised. I have auditioned five to six actresses, but I haven’t been able to find a suitable person,” he says. The producer also aspires to direct a film someday. “I was supposed to direct a film a few years ago, but that never happened. When the time comes, I will definitely do it,” he says.
