Samuthirakani: Macherla Niyojakavargam has a fantastic story, my role Rajappa has a surprise element

Actor, director Samuthirakani shot to the limelight among Telugu audiences with Ala Vaikunthapurramulo, but he made a mark in the industry much earlier with Jendapai Kapiraju and Sambho Siva Sambho (as a filmmaker). He’s become so occupied with his acting assignments across multiple languages that his career as a director has taken a backseat as of now. His next big release is Nithiin’s Macherla Niyojakavargam on August 12, in which he’s cast as an antagonist. He discussed the film and his role with the media today.

“I am in the middle of a dream phase in Telugu cinema. Ala Vaikunthapurramulo came to me like a gift from Trivikram and I never had to look back later. It fetched me offers like Krack, RRR, Bheemla Nayak, Sarkaru Vaari Paata and I feel blessed with the opportunities to be directed by credible filmmakers Trivikram, SS Rajamouli, Gopichandh Malineni and Parasuram Petla,” he said.

Samuthirakani got the Macherla Niyojakavargam offer a year ago and it reminded me of a similar incident in Tamil Nadu. “There’s a place in the state where the last election was held nearly 20 years ago. Only when an IAS officer intervened and motivated the people to take charge of their lives, the elections were held. I said the same to director MS Rajashekhar Reddy. This is a fantastic story and there’s a surprise element in my character Rajappa too.”

The actor believes that his role Rajappa in Macherla.. has a lot of depth and he met similar people in life before. “When you read a lot of books, it’s easier to find reference points. Rajappa is an emotional character and offers ample scope to perform. Nithiin is an optimistic chap and it was hard to play a role where I had to be angry with him. This was a great experience. His father, producer Sudhakar Reddy took good care of me during the shoot and brought wonderful technicians on board.”

Macherla Niyojakavargam has comedy, romance and emotions in the right measure and is a complete package, the actor-director stated, expressing confidence in its success.”As an actor, the film left me immensely satisfied. Though I’ve worked hard on the character, I forgot the pain and effort behind it while I was watching the film. The movie has come out well. Nithiin’s performance is extraordinary and you’ll discover a new side to him. You’ll appreciate our confrontation sequences.”

He praised the director for the clarity in his execution and felt that his experience as an editor had come in very handy during the making. “Macherla Niyojakavargam will sustain the winning streak in Telugu cinema. We made it with great sincerity and conviction and I’m sure viewers will enjoy it.” Samuthirakani even plans to direct Nithiin in a film in the coming years. His upcoming releases include Chiranjeevi’s Godfather and Nani starrer Dasara.