Peddha Kapu 1 director Srikanth Addala: My father and NTR’s political entry are the inspirations behind the film

Srikanth Addala, who last helmed Narappa, the Telugu remake of Dhanush’s Asuran, has wielded the megaphone for another film in the same genre. His upcoming release is Peddha Kapu 1, an action drama, starring debutant Virat Karrna, Pragati Srivastava and Anasuya Bharadwaj in key roles. Before it reaches audiences worldwide tomorrow, the filmmaker interacted with the media.

“Peddha Kapu is a story I had written long before. I am quite used to the idea of telling stories through newcomers. Mukunda too has a dimension relating to politics and society. However, a few may presume this is a story born out of Narappa’s influence. I could say my dad and the political scenario in 1982 were the inspiration behind it,” the director shared.

Also read: Peddha Kapu-1 star Virat Karrna: Srikanth Addala asked me to tone down my energy on sets 

His dad was quite active with social and leadership activities when NTR had set up Telugu Desam Party. “There was a hope that he could change our lives. The idea to field 294 new candidates created ripples in villages back then. I try to showcase how such political developments affected the grassroots of the society. The film is a mix of fact and fiction,” Addala stated.

He keeps writing many stories keeping newcomers in mind - Peddha Kapu 1 was one such idea. “I wanted to do a multistarrer and it looked like I had some time on hand before it could materialise. By then, Miryala Ravinder Reddy had asked me to narrate a story and everything fell in place. The story is ideal for young actors and it was always meant to be a two-part film. It is certainly violent.”

Like he’s said in many promotional interviews lately, the film is not about caste rivalries. Karna was one of the titles they’d considered for it. “When I had visited this village Gollamadipalli, a man was addressed as Peddha Kapu. He earned that moniker for helping and standing up for people in the need of the hour. The protagonist in the story is no different and we went ahead with this title.”

The director turned an accidental actor for Peddha Kapu 1, coming in place of a Malayali actor who couldn’t attend the schedule as per plan. To ensure production costs don’t escalate and the dates of artistes like Naga Babu, Rao Ramesh aren’t wasted, he took the plunge and cherished the experience. “I enjoyed watching myself on the screen in the premier show,” he smiles.

Also read: Peddha Kapu 1 actress Pragati Srivastava: I like how Srikanth Addala writes his female characters

He admitted newcomers faced a few hassles during the shoot. “Given it’s Virat Karrna’s first film, there were issues but it was my responsibility to get him to act. I moulded him as per the needs of the role and he worked hard. Showcasing a common man’s journey with newcomers across two parts is a challenge. It was all possible because of our producer and quality technicians like Chota K Naidu.”

Will he open to acting offers from other banners in the future? “I see myself as a director first and I won’t deny that I liked facing the camera. There will be a desire to act more. If there’s a role that excites me and everything falls in place, then why not?” He’s next working on a project for Geetha Arts and expressed his interest to return to family dramas again.