Exclusive Interview: Balagam director Venu Yeldandi talks about his film's success, future projects, acting career and tough times in life

Balagam is a film that has caught the attention of many. The village drama which started as a small film has now become the talk of the town ever since it has come out on OTT. Venu Yeldandi, the popular Telugu comedian has directed this film and he speaks to us about the post-release Hungama, the compliments he is getting, future projects and about his acting career.

Surprisingly, the appreciation for Balagam is only growing

It has been over a month since Balagam was released. The film is now out on OTT(AmazonPrime) but the appreciation coming in has only increased, says Venu. "It has been an overwhelming experience and everyone who has watched the film is sending me long messages. The best part is that none of them are congratulatory messages. All of them are writing lengthy notes about how Balagam moved them deeply" adds Venu.

Balagam has grossed over 25 crores which is huge

The film is set in a small village of Telangana and has the local dialect. Initially, we thought that the film would do well only in the Nizam area. But it has impressed in every region where Telugu people live, says Venu. "Our film has grossed over 25 crores gross and it is a very big thing for a small film like ours. Everyone associated with Balagam has made double profits" adds Venu in a happy tone.

More than scripting, the execution part was difficult

Venu is a debut director and when asked how it was to direct for the first time, he says "The script has been with me for the past three years or so. When I got a go ahead from my producer Dil Raju, the actual test started. The writing part came so easy to me but the execution of key scenes and handling the entire team was quite more difficult than what I imagined. But as I had a good support system, I made the film without any issues".

Racha Ravi's character is my most favorite in Balagam

Balagam has some deep rooted characters and each one of them has a graph of its own. When asked which character in the family drama impressed him the most, Venu says "Each character has its own charm but being a comedian, I loved Racha Ravi's character. He was the relief factor in the film and lives in his own world. The way he handles the situation as the hero's sidekick was superb".

Most of the credit for Balagam's success goes to Dil Raju

Dil Raju has presented the film. The moment he saw the film, the ace producer felt that Balagam needs massive promotion to go deep into the audience. When asked about his producer's support, Venu says "Most of Balagam's success goes to Dil Raju garu. I started my acting career in his banner and now my directorial debut also happened in his banner. The way he has supported the film is just unbelievable. He has danced in front of the theaters, drove rickshaws, arranged special screenings, spoke highly about my film, what else I can ask for. I will always be grateful to him all my life.

My family stood by me during my toughest days

Venu says that Balagam's script was with him for three years and he decided to make the film when acting offers were not many. "I was so tense and put my family intp risk. But the way my wife and family supported me was superb. They were only concerned about my health as I did not see them for at least one year during the making of this film. Now that the film is a hit, they are super proud." adds the young director.

I am in a huge dilemma about my next film

Balagam has won four international awards in the US and the expectations on Venu have increased. When asked about his next project, Venu says "I am in a huge dilemma about my next film. I always knew that Balagam would work but not to this extent. The film's success has given me sleepless nights and I am confused as to what film to do next. I had three scripts ready but now that the expectations are huge, I need to re-work on all of them. My next film is also with Dil Raju".

I will continue to act and direct films at the same time

Venu is a very popular comedian in Telugu cinema. Now that he has made it big with Balagam, we asked whether his acting profession will take a back seat now. "I have worked very hard to become an actor and get fame. In the last few years, things have gone down a bit acting wise but I will not stop acting. It is my first love and I hope to balance direction and acting equally", says Venu.

Also Read: Balagam review