Exclusive - Cinema Bandi actor Rag Mayur: The only good thing to have come out of the pandemic was the OTT boom

If there's one Telugu film that did complete justice in mirroring the boundless passion and madness that Telugu people have for cinema, it is Cinema Bandi. The surprise blockbuster of the year had released directly on Netflix this May 14. Directed by debutant Praveen Kandregula, Cinema Bandi revolves around a group of film enthusiasts from various walks of life, who accidentally chance upon a high-end camera and come together to fulfil a rather unlikely dream of making a feature film. 

Set amidst a small hamlet in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, the spirit of Cinema Bandi shines through one of its lead characters, Maridesh Babu, a barber who's offered a chance to play the lead in the film the villagers set out to make. In all innocence, the goofball character is a parody of the star culture; he takes himself a little too seriously and throws starry tantrums during the making of a film with no budget. Telugu boy Rag Mayur, who shot to fame with the line 'Nee Peremi' in the film, brings the character alive with great verve and enthusiasm. 

Rag is a man of many talents; from being a corporate professional to his brush with journalism to directing a short film and later pursuing a career in acting, he's done it all. OTTplay catches up with the actor whose career changed overnight with Cinema Bandi.

Excerpts from the conversation:

Cinema Bandi was a film that filled us with joy and exactly told us why cinema holds a special place in our hearts. What does cinema mean to you?

I was always fond of films since my school years. There was no cable connection at home; we had strict parents and we had to wait till the summer holidays to get a chance to watch anything to do with films. My brother always used to recommend something. I adored films like most of us in the Telugu states do. It's just that the interest continued for a long time. However, it was theatre that helped me enjoy performing. I wanted to become a director initially and even did a few short films. I spent two years on one short film, which people didn't like much. The gap between my expectations and reality was huge. 

At the same time, I maintained a blog where I reviewed films regularly. I put all my reactions there, reminisced about old films and got an opportunity to write for a movie portal later. I reviewed movies and wrote analytical pieces, news items for four years. I really enjoyed writing and it was rewarding that people took notice of my work. Later, one of my acquaintances in FB asked me to act in a short film titled Raama Kanavemira and I gave a shot at it. It gave me an urge to try my luck as an actor and ever since, I haven't put a pen on my paper. Acting is the only thing that has played on my mind after that. 

What happened after Raama Kanavemira?

After Raama Kanavemira, I knew I had to work on myself and sharpen my rough edges. I went for several acting workshops to have a practical idea of the craft. I attended many auditions and luck didn't favour me. Soon, there was a personal crisis back home during which I was offered to play the lead role in a rom-com that released earlier this year. The director had waited for me for a couple of months but I had to take a tough call and say no. It took time to make progress. In 2018, I noticed a social media post where they needed actors for a short film by Praveen Kandregula (the director of Cinema Bandi) and I made it there. 

The director and the writer Vasanth had pitched the story idea to directors Raj and DK at the Film Bazaar event in Goa as part of the annual International Film Festival. We were asked to make a short film on the subject as a pilot version, which we made and later showed to Raj and DK. They had no doubts about the short and were convinced about its potential to be a promising feature. They wanted to retain the actors from the short film for the feature film version too. We shot for Cinema Bandi in May 2019 and were aiming for a theatrical release in March 2020. COVID-19 happened and you know the rest! 

Cinema Bandi was shot on a shoestring budget with a small team and a cast with limited acting experience. Was the team's journey quite similar to the plight of the characters in the film who had to move from pillar to post to fulfil their dream?

Absolutely. Cinema Bandi was completely guerilla-style making. Sync sound and camerapersons were the only crew we had. We couldn't afford lighting for the film. We wouldn't have achieved the raw look without the limitations we had. For the rain scene, we had to go to the rooftop, make holes in the mineral water bottle and pour it on characters to make it appear like a drizzle. The film's ADs are its unsung heroes though. Shooting in a village, they controlled the situation very well, stopping vehicles, managing people who threw a fit, coordinating sync sound for the long and close shots. They deserve major credit for the making.

What were the major challenges that you had to face as an actor during the making?

We shot under the scorching sun in summers without caravans, sitting on a stone under trees for shade. The lodge didn't have water, there were electricity issues. I had a high fever and almost collapsed on the set one day. The doctors weren't even qualified in the village and suspected I had pneumonia. I laughed it off and had to go to Bengaluru for a checkup where the doctor confirmed that I had viral fever. I had to take a week-long break and was worried about the delay I may have caused. Producers, though, were sweet enough to wait for me. In retrospect, these are pleasant memories now. I feel proud to have made it through such times and our film reached Netflix today.

What was the brief you got from Praveen about Maridesh Babu? What went behind the portrayal?

Maridesh Babu is an overexcited guy who shows off a little too much. There was no backstory. He is innocent at heart despite his quirks. The script was written in the Rayalaseema slang entirely. I spent a lot of time reading the script in the nights even after the shoot. I tried my best to bring in my own flavour to the humour. I didn't belong to the area at all and had no idea of the lifestyle of the villagers. The homework that I did for the short film itself paid off. I recorded conversations with cab drivers, chaiwallahs and many people in the village (near Mulbagal) to get the accent right.

It's natural for many film critics to transition into screenwriters or directors. However, you became an actor. Was the journalism stint of any use in your acting career?

The learning from journalism was more subconscious. While reviewing films, I keenly observed the histrionics and mannerisms of the actors. When I look back now, I realised that most of my reviews focused on casting and I didn't mince words to say why it worked or didn't. While I took note of aspects like screenplay and other technicalities, the casting aspect interested me more. It was also the time when casting directors earned a name for themselves in the industry and Mukesh Chabbra unearthed talents from nooks and corners of the country. Besides, the theatre experience too gave a different dimension to my acting. However, acting aspirants must be wary of choosing their mentors well. Sometimes it's good to start acting on a fresh slate than learning it from the wrong person.

Talking about casting, how did you, a city-bred actor, pull off the rustic look for Cinema Bandi?

The first memory of any character is the way they look on screen and I went that extra mile to look differently for all the acting stints I've been a part of. Of course, the best of the lot was Maridesh Babu. Most of the costumes that he wore were from my personal collection. Though I don't wear them daily, I picked a series of shirts and pants that are jazzy and unconventional. I was obsessed with the look of the character. In one short film where I played a father to a nine-year-old, I made sure I had a moustache and a paunch. Surprisingly, Praveen wanted me to have a paunch for Cinema Bandi. I told him that I could reduce weight for the film but he thought otherwise. It's a character that he wanted people to laugh at.

It's nearly 75 days since Cinema Bandi released on Netflix. The stat may not mean much in the OTT era but how has your life changed since May 14?

The way people look at me has changed, there's more respect and all of it was possible because of the promise I've shown on the screen. I have listened to over 13 scripts. I've finalised almost three scripts - one as an antagonist, lead and supporting character. The first 20 days after the release was about the movie-going viral. The later weeks were all about listening to scripts.

From facing rejection at auditions to choosing the script you want to do, life has come full circle for you.

Life has taken a 360-degree turn, yes and I think it's part of the process. That's how we evolve. I am thankful that I am in a position to choose my work today. I was ready to do anything to be in front of the camera in the past. I now only pick roles that satisfy me today. I owe my success to OTT. The only good thing to have come out of the pandemic was the OTT boom. Audiences of all age groups are interested in watching web content today. OTT has taken a big leap in the last year or two and it helped Cinema Bandi.