Director Shouryuv on Hi Nanna - Intentionally chose a love story for my debut | Exclusive

Shouryuv, who worked on films like Jaguar and Adithya Varma, having assisted RRR and SSMB29 writer Vijayendra Prasad earlier, is gearing up for his directorial debut, Hi Nanna, the next weekend. The film, to release on December 7, is a father-daughter drama starring Nani and Mrunal Thakur in key roles and is produced by Vyra Entertainments. Ahead of its release, the filmmaker spoke to the media today.

Origins

I was always interested in cinema but I completed my MBBS course for my mother. She had presumed that I would lose my madness for films if I completed the course. SS Rajamouli is one of my inspirations in the industry. Hi Nanna, my first, may be a fictional story, but several real-life experiences helped me shape up the script. I didn’t write it keeping an actor in mind. The producers helped me reach out to Nani.

The Hi Nanna journey

I had only readied the first half of the film when I narrated the story and was pleasantly surprised when it went on floors almost immediately. Nani suggested a few changes during the narration and they were of great help in structuring the screenplay. He asked me to reach out to Hesham Abdul Wahab, who said yes to the film immediately. Beyond the songs, the background score is an asset to Hi Nanna.

Also read: Mrunal Thakur on Hi Nanna - I’ll change my name if you don’t fall in love with Nani, Kiara Khanna 

The musical influences

I didn’t want to stuff Hesham with any references but I just explained the mood of the situation and left the rest to him. Having known Dhruv Vikram personally, I got him on board to croon for Odiyamma. He’s very passionate about music, has done several music videos and loves playing the guitar. He immediately loved the idea and sang the track (in two languages: Telugu and Tamil).

Understanding the psyche of a single father

The difference between a single father and a regular couple is the sharing of responsibilities. While a father in a marriage can equally depend on his wife to raise a child, a single parent doesn’t have that luxury. He’s the only parent that the child has and he needs to send her to school, pack her lunch, and pick her up later while also doing his job. My father’s relationship with my sister helped me explore the father-daughter bond better.

Also read: Hi Nanna star Nani takes a dig at Animal’s runtime; Sandeep Reddy Vanga responds

Other actors, casting choices

Mrunal Thakur’s casting choice was mine. I felt she would be apt for the part after watching her in (the sports drama) Toofaan. While I was wary about working with child artistes in my first film, Kiara Khanna made my job easier. She’s way too mature for a six-year-old, and she was so thorough with the script that she could deliver her lines even if asked in the middle of the night.

The final word about the film

I won’t call Hi Nanna a pan-Indian film, but a family story with a universal appeal that audiences across languages can relate to. People may compare Hi Nanna to Santosham or Kuch Kuch Hota Hai after watching the trailer. I’m confident that their perception will change as they watch the film. I intentionally chose a love/family story; these are scripts that people trust with debutants easily. I could’ve pitched an action film too, but it’s hard for producers to put that money on a first-timer.

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