Ravanasura director Sudheer Varma: I was excited by the idea of making a thriller with a major star

After helming the action comedy Saakini Daakini, streaming on Netflix, starring Nivetha Thomas and Regina Cassandra, director Sudheer Varma takes the massy route with his next, Ravanasura. The film, due to hit screens on April 7, brings together Ravi Teja, Sushanth, Sriram, Anu Emmanuel, Pujita Ponnada, Faria Abdullah, Megha Akash and Daksha Nagarkar in the lead roles.

Ahead of Ravanasura’s release, the filmmaker spoke to the media this week. “I’m very excited about the film - it’s a mix of thrills, shocks and surprises. I can’t reveal anything about it and want to reserve the thrills for the big screen alone. When Srikanth Vissa narrated this script to Ravi Teja, he felt I was best-suited to helm it. I was equally fascinated to make a thriller with a major star. It’s a genre-specific film and is a first-of-its-kind attempt in Telugu cinema.”

“You’ll be interested to see the characterisation in Ravanasura and I’m confident it’ll leave you satisfied,” he says. The filmmaker clarifies one can’t intentionally try to make a stylish film and says the story decides the treatment. “You can give a stylish exterior to a mass film and the viceversa works too. There’s no specific formula to storytelling,” the director adds.

Sudheer believes grey protagonists aren’t anything new to Telugu cinema and says it originated many decades ago before the era of Pushpa or KGF. “Wasn’t Nagarjuna in Antham or JD Chakravarthy in Satya grey too? Of course, the trend is at its peak now.” The ensemble cast was necessary to pique the curiosity of the viewer and drive the story forward.

Also read: Megha Akash: With Ravanasura, Ravi Teja changed my view of cinema and people 

The director reveals the film doesn’t have any connection to Ramayana and only states that the protagonist has all the qualities of a demon. “There are a few dialogues to suggest this idea and it was an apt title for the story. The film has a definite climax. There’s a good chance to make a sequel out of it but we haven’t thought about it yet,” Sudheer mentions.

“It was an added challenge to direct a story written by another writer. If I write a story, I adapt it according to my visual sensibility and it’s easy to make changes, improvise with time. However, with another writer, one needs to be sure if the soul of the story is not lost in the execution, good communication with him is the key,” the Swamy Ra Ra maker believes.

“Ravi Teja’s abilities as a performer need no introduction. He surpassed my expectations and I can assure you this is an out-and-out Ravi Teja film, it’s certain to be among his top 3 performances. Like all films I’m nervous before its release” he adds. As a storyteller, he enjoys crime capers for its ability to hold audience’s attention consistently.

“My producer Abhishek Nama firmly believed in my vision and gave everything I needed. Ravanasura is likely to release in Hindi in a week’s time. We have intentionally delayed it to avoid any chance of story/plot leaks. I am in talks to direct Pawan Kalyan for a story written by Pawan Kalyan. You’ll know soon when it’ll go on floors,” he signs off.

Also read: Ravi Teja: Ravanasura will be an unforgettable experience in theatres