The much anticipated Telugu film, BRO— headlined by the Power Star Pawan Kalyan and Sai Dharam Tej is the upcoming major Tollywood film to be jointly produced by People Media Factory, a leading Telugu Cinema production house and ZEE Studios. While the movie is written and directed by Samuthirakani, Trivikram Srinivas has penned the screenplay and dialogues for it. The film is slated to release in cinemas across the globe on July 28th.
One of the leading ladies of the film, Priya Prakash Varrier is betting big on the movie and the hype surrounding it. During media interactions, she opened up about her experience of working with the Power Star and her character in BRO.
First things first, tell us how did you land the project?
"When I watched the original work of Samuthirakani, Vinodhaya Sitham on which BRO is based, I enjoyed watching the film. Therefore, when director Samuthirakani called me for the role, I was excited about the opportunity to play the role and gave the look test. After that, I did not hear from them for some time and thought that I am not doing the film. However, at the beginning of this year, they called me up to inform me that I am part of the movie. Samuthirakani told me that he actually considered a lot of people for this role but finally decided to go ahead with me. What more could I ask for? I am extremely happy and consider it a blessing for an upcoming artiste like me to get the opportunity to be a part of this big film with a stellar star cast, not to mention the chance, to share the screen with Power Star and Sai Dharam Tej."
Priya Prakash further adds, "To share screen space with legendary actors like Pawan Kalyan garu at the start of my career itself is a huge blessing. There is this aura in him, which is difficult to describe in words. On the film sets, it is fun watching him work."
Please tell us about the look of your character in the movie as nothing has been revealed so far about your role by the makers.
"I've combination scenes with both the actors - Pawan Kalyan garu and Sai Dharam Tej garu. My look is going to be very different from what the audience have seen me in, so far. My character's name is Veena. She is a very simple and homely girl. Who is my love interest? What role do I have in the story? To know answers to these you have to watch the movie in theatres."
With just one wink you had the whole country smitten and rose to national fame overnight. Do you regret the choice of the movies you worked in, post that stardom?
"First of all, I come from a family which has no film background. I had nobody to guide me through. And what happened after that one wink - which went viral all over the internet - is that too many people around me were telling too many things to me. So I didn't know what to follow, whom to follow. I didn't know who would guide me in the right direction. Yes, I might have made some mistakes and some bad choices. I think after those initial 4-5 years, now I am making the right choices and improving upon myself."
Coming to the film BRO, tell us about your character's journey. Have you taken any references from the original work?
"I think, the makers of BRO made a lot of improvisations. In the Tamil film, the scale of the movie is different. Changes are made according to Kalyan garu's performance. Even the duration of BRO is longer than the Tamil film. So eventually, we have more sequences than the original film. I can't exactly tell you duration of my role and how it develops in the film, but you keep finding me throughout the film here and there."
What you observed in Pawan Kalyan garu and as an actor what did you take from him?
"I don't have many combination scenes with Kalyan garu. Whatever, I have said about his ever-charming aura, I observed while watching him working on the sets. He is very calm and composed. When he steps on the sets, everybody gets worked up. But he walks in calmly asking, "Ah tell me what do you want me to do?” And he does it in one single take. Again as he walks out, people around him might run helter-skelter trying to please him, but he is very gentle and remains grounded as a human being. For me, it's the biggest lesson. Whatever stature you achieve in life, you should be always down to earth. It is this quality that takes you to places."
Have you interacted with Pawan Kalyan garu on the sets of BRO?
"No, not much interaction happened as I don’t have many scenes with him. My interaction with him was primarily limited to "namaste" because I used to get very nervous. There were always four- five people around him. Once, I unknowingly sat on the chair that was meant for Kalyan garu, and when he arrived I panicked a bit. Later, everything went smoothly."
Tell us your work experience with director Samuthirakani?
"Samuthirakani sir knows what he wants from his actors. He has a lot of conviction. And only if he is 200 percent sure of his actors he would go ahead with the project. He just comes and tells us what we need to do. We just deliver exactly what he is asking for. We don't have to improvise - nothing more and nothing less. Being directed by such a senior actor was such an amazing experience.
Every character in the film has a combination of scenes with everyone. We have such an ensemble cast.
My chemistry with Tej was definitely a different experience. With Kalyan garu, I look up to him. But with Tej, we developed a really good bond on the sets. Whenever we were on the sets, we were always pulling each other's leg. He would make fun of me like a naughty child on the sets. We spent a lot of time on the sets and chatted a lot. He has become a very good friend.
For the first time, Priya Prakash has been working with such a big production banner in Telugu - the People Media Factory. How has been the experience?
"They have been extremely supportive. They're always trying to accommodate my schedule despite my frequent travel from one city to another. I also co-operate with them for my dates and shuttling between locations," she adds.
Since, you're already a fan of Allu Arjun garu, is there any shift in preference after working with Pawan Kalyan garu for BRO?
"I am going to play safe now (laughs). But you know Pawan Kalyan garu is definitely in a different league. As far as Allu Arjun garu is concerned, I happened to meet him a couple of times - during SIIMA and other events of Filmfare. He is so chilled. But Kalyan garu -- you know, we look at him as someone who is a legend. Definitely, he is what he is."
Have you called someone BRO on the sets?
"Nobody called anyone BRO as such. But Tej is like everybody's BRO. He never loses the common touch with everyone on the sets."
