Exclusive! Cinematographer Vidyasagar Chinta assures his directorial debut Ashoka Vanam Lo Arjuna Kalyanam will be a fun ride

Beyond the stars and the sheen in Telugu cinema, there's a fresh wave of talent that has carved its niche in the industry in recent years, paving way for a flurry of middle-road films and have proved they could draw audiences too. Vidyasagar Chinta, a cinematographer associated with a wide range of theatrical, OTT projects like Muddapappu Avakai, Nanna Koochi, Vellipomakey, Falaknuma Das and Raja Vaaru Rani Vaaru, is certainly one among them. He has consistently stood out with his eye for detailing, capturing the spirit of his backdrops - sets and live locations- that complement the storytelling. From action to romance to the slice-of-life genre, the technician with a diverse filmography is now wielding the megaphone for the first time for Vishwak Sen's Ashoka Vanam Lo Arjuna Kalyanam, a lighthearted rural entertainer.

"I have been eyeing to direct a film for a while now, but it took time for this project to materialise. I was to work on another film for Vishwak Sen but I couldn't take it up due to a few reasons. When the writer and director of Raja Vaaru Rani Vaaru, Ravikiran Kola, approached me with a script and asked if I was interested to direct it, I immediately said yes. I really liked the feel-good story and committed to it with a confidence that I can present it well on screen too," Vidyasagar opens up. However, the youngster was sure that he wouldn't take up the responsibility as a cinematographer for this project and instead wanted to focus on the job on hand.  

"My motto has always been to take up one job and do complete justice to it. Direction is no joke and I didn't want to risk fulfilling two roles at once. I am enjoying my new responsibility now, it demands complete attention towards 24 crafts in the filmmaking process, but therein lies the challenge and the fun," he says, exuding confidence. The team had wrapped up a brief schedule at Ramoji Film City recently. "My biggest strength is my crew, from Ravi Kiran (Kola) to cinematographer Pavi K Pavan (who comes with a lot of experience in Malayalam cinema), the composer Jai Krish (who had also worked on Raja Vaaru Rani Vaaru) and my production designer (Pravalya Duddupudi). We're in complete sync with each other's sensibilities and work in a friendly, comfortable atmosphere on sets," he adds.

A glimpse of Ashoka Vanam Lo Arjuna Kalyanam was released a few days ago that portrayed a little-known subtle dimension of Vishwak Sen as an actor. He had introduced himself as Arjun Kumar Allam, a shy man in his early 30s, desperately looking for his ideal match and sends his profile to a matrimonial agency. "The film will be a complete makeover for Vishwak Sen. He'll appear in a boy-next-door avatar that's a complete contrast from his aggressive roles recently. Vishwak is a very good actor who has a lot to offer to the industry. I have known him since my film school days and had also closely worked with him on his first film, Vellipomakey, where he was superb with a subtle performance. Audiences will get to discover a different, vulnerable side to him here as well," he assures. 

A glimpse of Ashoka Vanam Lo Arjuna Kalyanam was released a few days ago that portrayed a little-known subtle dimension of Vishwak Sen as an actor. He had introduced himself as Arjun Kumar Allam, a shy man in his early 30s, desperately looking for his ideal match and sends his profile to a matrimonial agency. "The film will be a complete makeover for Vishwak Sen. He'll appear in a boy-next-door avatar that's a complete contrast from his aggressive roles recently. Vishwak is a very good actor who has a lot to offer to the industry. I have known him since my film school days and had also closely worked with him on his first film, Vellipomakey, where he was superb with a subtle performance. Audiences will get to discover a different, vulnerable side to him here as well," he assures.