Director Srinivas Vinjanampati: My wife’s pregnancy inspired me to make Mr Pregnant

Bigg Boss Telugu fame Sohel and Uma Maheshwara Ugra Roopasya girl Roopa Koduvayur are joining hands for Mr Pregnant, a tale of a male pregnant with the right doses of humour and emotions. The film, produced by Mic Movies, marks the directorial debut of Srinivas Vinjanampati. Ahead of its release this Friday, the filmmaker interacted with the media about his experiences.

Where it all began…

I’m an Ongole native and worked in the corporate sector in the US, Canada and was keen on directing a film. I made an award-winning short film abroad and the recognition motivated me. Mr Pregnant’s producer Ravinder Reddy Sajjala is a good friend and I happened to narrate a story. Once he liked it, I gave multiple narrations to his near and dear who were left teary eyed. They eventually suggested Appireddy to produce the film and Mr Pregnant went on floors.

Sohel, not the first choice

We considered many names and thought several scenes demanded the presence of a mainstream actor. We approached Nani, Vishwak Sen but nothing materialised. Sohel was a good friend and he knew this story a long time ago. He expressed his interest to do the film before his Bigg Boss stint. His popularity skyrocketed with the show and it convinced us that he was the right choice. Having a Telugu speaking actress like Roopa Koduvayur was an advantage.

Inspired by personal incidents

Mr Pregnant is inspired by a few incidents in my personal life. My wife had given birth to a premature baby and I was witness to the challenges she experienced while taking care of the infant. I came across a story of a male pregnant in the US and it prompted me to write a story on similar lines according to our setting. I didn’t want to make it like an arthouse film and blended it with a love story and adequate commercial elements. I’m sure audiences will relate with the premise.

A note on the producers, crew

Mic Movies was so instrumental in translating the script onto the screen the way I visualised it. I had access to good technicians and they spent as per the needs of the story. They’re happy with the result and felt I had executed the film exactly how I narrated it. Shravan Bharadwaj’s music, Nizar Shafi’s cinematography and Prawin Pudi’s editing were instrumental to the result. Mr Pregnant will be remembered as a worthy film. The final 45 minutes is a major highlight.

On Mr Pregnant’s release, future projects

Mr Pregnant is releasing in over 100 theatres in US and I’m confident it’ll resonate with crowds of all age groups. I have already initiated discussions for my next project. I’m planning something big, within the mainstream space. I want to make films that’ll be enjoyed by families. I hope to specialise in them. I will share more details about my upcoming projects shortly.