Times sure are changing for Tollywood. Gone are the days when a top producer would associate only with big budget films and the leading stars of the industry. Today, interesting collaborations are taking place with new artistes and technicians. Producers are even deciding to associate with films once they have been made, thus adding value to it.
The most recent example is that of Dil Raju, who announced that he’d be releasing independent filmmaker Yakub Ali’s Vellipomake. Suresh Babu had earlier released the phenomenal hit Pellichoopulu, helmed by debutant director Tharun Bhascker and Sai Korrapati associated with Omkar’s Raju Gaari Gadhi.
Geetha Arts also collaborated with Meeku Meere Maaku Meme. Jatha Kalise, Rojulu Marayi and Nanna Nenu Naa Boyfriends are other films that benefited from collaborations, with a wider reach and by getting inputs from the creme de la creme of the industry.
Producers, of course, have their own reasons for associating with these films. Dil Raju explains why he associated with Nanna Nenu Na Boyfriends and Vellipomake. “Vellipomake was brilliantly made for a first time team,” says Dil Raju.
“The director extracted brilliant performances from the whole cast and the output, especially technically, was great despite being made on a very limited budget. Also, despite the initial apprehension regarding the title, when I saw Nanna Nenu Naa Boyfriends, I had no doubt about backing it. As a producer, my aim is to take good cinema to the audiences, be it a small film or a big film,” adds Dil Raju.
Suresh Babu has a similar opinion. “I liked #PelliChoopulu very much and that’s why I asked Raj Kandukuri to consider producing it. When I saw it later, my instincts were right and I thought it would be brilliant to back #PelliChoopulu. It’s less about the economics and more about encouraging talent, especially when they have done such a good job,” he explains.
But how do small producers and filmmakers benefit from such associations? Hussain Sha Kiran who shifted from popular short films to making feature films, talks about his association with Allu Aravind. “He was instrumental in guiding us and helping us learn a lot about filmmaking. Meeku Meere Maaku Meme was my directorial debut and his help in backing it was immense.”
Yakub Ali reveals, “As an independent filmmaker, the association with a well known producer like Dil Raju sir is obviously beneficial! I am new to the industry and the guiding hand of an experienced person like Raju sir has taken the film to another level. Every change he suggested has made the end product all the more appealing."
Even the “small” producers say that these collaborations help. “When a reputed name is involved in a project, it is a boost to distributors to come forward and invest in the film. Even theatres are motivated to screen the film and the chain goes on. Isn't that a great thing?” says #PelliChoopulu producer Raj Kandukuri.
