You always fall short of words when you have to describe this talented and charming personality, who remains as young and effervescent as he was the day he joined the film industry. In a chit chat, actor/entrepreneur Nagarjuna talks about his ready for release film Boss.
Boss is better than Manmadhudu.
Q: Now that Boss is ready for release how are you feeling about it?
A: I am very confident about Boss. The music is also very good. Especially after the mixing the songs are remarkable.
Q: Is it on par with Manmadhudu?
A: Boss is better than Manmadhudu.
Q: Manmadhudu was a very classy film which was accepted by only the A center crowds. Nenunnanu was accepted by the B and C center crowds but not as much by the Classy crowd. But Santhosham was accepted at all the three centers. Were will you place Boss?
A: Boss is a more commercial version of Santhosham. We picked it up from that film. Boss is much better than Santhosham and will cater to all the centers.
Q: Which is your favorite song from Boss?
A: I liked Nachinde Chesey. I like the lyrics of that song a lot. Then there is the song Andagadu, it is a very spicy number (Laughs).
Q: Nachinde Chesey was composed by Harry Anand. Why three music directors?
A: Nachinde Chesey and Jeele Jeele were composed by Harry Anand. We wanted to try something different and new that is why three music directors. Kalyan Mallik scored music for 5 songs and Harry Anand for two. The back ground score was done by Anoop.
Q: What about action in Boss?
A: Boss has some good action sequences. There are only three fights in the movie .The fights are very stylish at the same time realistic. Especially the opening fight. I did not even use a dupe. They came out surprisingly well. I called up Vijay immediately and complimented him on the action choreography. The other two fight sequences were also canned within no time and effort.
The media has become quite fast.
Q: Why did you decide to experiment with the music of Boss?
A: There was no experiment. It is quite normal to use more than one music director for a film. It is only that with the media becoming quite fast and up to date such news is coming out. In fact Anoop also did the back ground score for Santhosham while the music director was different. But nobody knew of it at that time.
Q: With your film Super the remix fever has caught up with Telugu Film Industry. Any such plans for Boss?
A: We have two remix songs in boss. Those, we have decided to add to the audio CDs and release it after the film’s release. This way there will be no confusion because the remix versions are not a part of the film.
It is not surprising that Boss was given a U certificate.
Q: What was your reaction to the U certificate given by the censor board?
A: It was not surprising. Boss is a very good, clean, wholesome entertainer. The whole family can watch and enjoy the movie together. It is a breezy entertainer with light moments. Somewhat like Santhosham. Even the villain’s character, portrayed by Shayaji Shinde, is very entertaining.
Q: Is it true that Boss, of all your films so far, is releasing with the maximum no: of prints?
A: Yes. Boss will be my biggest release so far. I think it is releasing with around 265 prints. That is a very very high number.
Q: Do you think it is a good strategy? To release a film with so many prints?
A: Now a days communication is so fast and piracy so rampant and uncontrollable that it is more of a necessity to release with so many prints. The government also has other issues which are of higher priority and importance than piracy to deal with that even we cannot ask them to deal with piracy first.
Slips are bound to happen during post production.
Q: It is rumored that people within the industry itself let out the beta tapes, for piracy, even before the film’s official release. Your comments?
A: See when some people with in the Industry, who earn around 5000 to 6000 per month, are offered 20,000 something for the tapes, they will obviously be tempted. People are offering 10,000 for photographs. In fact, my editor’s assistant came and told me once that he was offered money for the beta tapes. Now he was loyal to me and so he notified me about the situation and the necessary action was taken. But that does not happen all the time right? So piracy can start in the editing room, recording room or even in the Ad commercial department.
Q: Why cant’ producers spend a percent of the investment on establishing editing and infrastructure
facilities at their own production house wherein the technicians can come and work. Won’t that check piracy to an extent?
A: That will definitely help. It was done with Boss. Since I control Annapurna studios I could check on what was happening during post production. But I cannot control what is happening at other labs right? But at the same time we need to send our prints for processing to other labs also to complete the post production work. And at such times things slip out of our hands.
Q: You have had continuous hits after Santhosham. How did you manage that?
A: I cannot pinpoint on any thing as a reason for that. I do films to entertain people. That is all. If I like the script and the way the director plans to treat it then I just sign on.
Q: Any instances were you signed for a film immediately after narration?
A: Yes. I did that for Santhosham and Mass. I liked them instantly. Dasarath actually narrated the script as a writer not a director but then he took only two days to decide to direct the film.
Ticket fare hike will have no adverse affect on the industry.
Q: Don’t you think that the hike in the ticket fare is having an adverse affect on a film’s performance at the Box Office?
A: No. I don’t think so. If the ticket hike was having any kind of adverse affect on a film’s performance, the industry would have closed by now. Andhra Pradesh, in fact, was the last place to introduce this system. In places like Singapore and Malaysia the ticket prices are so flexible that if the crowd is good for the morning show than the matinee show prices are hiked. I experienced it personally when I went to watch the second part of Pirates of Caribbean when I was in Singapore shooting for Boss. Piracy is actually quite rampant in those places. A 10 theaters multiplex was showcasing 55 shows of the same movie there. If we release a movie with fewer prints, within two weeks the pirated CDs of that movie are being sold on the roads.
Watching a movie should be like a family outing.
Q: Why don’t you take up any issues in your films?
A: I like watching movies for relaxation and entertainment. That is what I believe. I want to entertain people and I will do it in the way I believe entertainment should be given. Watching a film should be like a family outing. People should just relax and come out smiling. That is what I want.
I make sure that the cast and crew sit together and discuss about the movie.
Q: Do you contribute to the script?
A: No. I just tell whether or not I like a particular scene. Other wise I do not interfere with the creative team. I believe in team work. The cast and crew sit together and discuss what needs to be done and how to do it. Even for films like Geethanjali, Shiva and Ninne Pelladutha, I made sure that the cast and crew sat together and discussed about the film. I also believe a lot in experience. There were instances when editor Marthanda told me that certain scenes did not shape out well and we re- shot the entire scene. I respect his experience and judgment. Similarly Boss is a result of good team work.
Q: What kind of relationship do you share with producer D. Siva Prasad Reddy?
A: Siva Prasad Reddy is more of a friend than a producer to me. I have already done seven films with him and won’t mind doing another seven movies with him. With Boss he proved himself as one of the best in the Industry.
Lawrence’s film will be launched in December.
Q: What about your film Don with Lawrence?
A: I would much rather you did not call the film Don. You are just increasing the price for it (laughs). Another producer has already registered the title Don. We are planning to start the film in December. I would like to start it as early as possible so that it will be ready for a summer release in 2007.
Q: What about Sekhar Kammula’s movie?
A: Sekhar will be narrating the story to me after the release of Boss. Nothing has been finalized as yet. As of now only my movie with Lawrence is finalized.
Chaitanya is still too young for films.
Q: Is Naga Chaitanya debuting in movies soon?
A: He is still too young to debut in movies. He is just 20 years old and I want him to complete his degree, B.Com, before he plans to join movies. He did express his desire to act and he even attended some classes in ‘Creating Characters’ institute in Mumbai. I will be the most happiest and proud father the day he tells me that he wants to join the industry.
