Browse through online discussion boards on the newer crop of directors in Telugu cinema and you are likely to come across avid movie buffs analysing the work of director Vivek Athreya. After debuting with the rom-com Mental Madhilo, he gently pushed the boundaries with the black comedy Brochevarevarura. His social commentary in this film as well as his next, Ante Sundaraniki, earned him a loyal following that appreciates his writing, gender sensitivity, comedy and ear for music. Here, he talks about filmmakers whose work defined his understanding of cinema in his early years and why he thinks a writer needs to be a good listener.
Directors’ Take
Edited excerpts from the interview:
You grew up in Guntur where your parents, both movie buffs, worked in India Post. What were the films you were exposed to?
My initial introduction to cinema was through the audio cassettes my mother would play. Then when I watched films of director K.Vishwanath, it defined my idea of cinema. Films of Mani Ratnam and Krishna Vamsi also had a huge impact on me. I was impressed by how Krishna Vamsi made films in different genres — Gulabi, Antahpuram, Ninne Pelladatha and Khadgam. Similarly, I was awed by how Mani Ratnam made Thalapathi and followed it up with Roja, Thiruda Thiruda and Bombay, each different from the earlier ones. I was happy just watching these films but never thought I would become a filmmaker.
You studied B.Tech in Thanjavur and worked at IBM, Chennai, for five years. Did that change your exposure to the cinema? Was it during that period that your interest in storytelling grew?
The exposure to a new culture helped widen my vision. I remember watching Mysskin’s Yuddham Sei in Chennai. I did not understand Tamil but was drawn to the film’s visual language. Around that time, some of my friends learnt music or played cricket during weekends. Cinema was my escape route. My father had passed away and I was going through a bad phase. I began working on short films and started learning about editing and screenwriting.
Initially, I was apprehensive. Unlike my friends, I knew nothing about international cinema. My friend, cinematographer Vedaraman Sankaran with whom I later worked in Mental Madhilo, pointed out that I seem to have an interest in drama since I like films of Mani Ratnam and Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi. Veda encouraged me to follow my instincts.
Your early short films, I learn, took a lot of time to make. Was that because you were working as well as learning filmmaking?
We would work on short films only during weekends. Money was a constraint. And, my friends were working in Noida, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Only once in four to five weeks we would come together and work on a short film. In the process of making the short films, I learnt the basics of screenplay writing and terms such as OTS (over the shoulder) shot, etc. I made one film at night so that I could learn how to shoot in those light conditions. I also participated in a screenplay writing contest conducted by Puri Jagganadh. All that helped me gain confidence.
The music in your three films, composed by Prashanth Vihari and Vivek Sagar, has street and classical influences. How much of this came from you and how did the collaborations work?
I have always been inclined towards classical music. I enjoy listening to Thyagaraja kirtanas, especially those sung by Aruna Sairam, M S Subbulakshmi and Yesudas. I like to listen to music when I am writing and sometimes, I tell my composers the mood of the music I have in mind for a situation. There are occasions when they try something different and I like it. Music takes shape during such jam sessions and the street music influence also comes naturally.
The title Brochevarevarura comes from a song by Mysore Vasudevacharya and Mental Madhilo comes from a song in Okay Bangaram. Were these decisions made at the scripting stage?
To date, I regret not having a Telugu title for my first film, Mental Madhilo. I had a beautiful Telugu title in mind, which I hope to use later and hence do not want to reveal right now. But I was told that people may not understand the Telugu title and we opted for Mental Madhilo that goes with the idea of the crazy characters and their journey.
Your non-linear screenplay writing style has earned you several fans. How did the style evolve?
I do not intentionally write my screenplays in a non-linear manner. That style is derived from the story. For example, Ante Sundaraniki has Sundar (Nani) narrating different incidents from his life to different people, through which we piece together his story. So it had to be non-linear. Brochevarevarura takes off from the point of view of a director narrating a story to an actor. In retrospect, I think it is difficult to narrate a simple story. Mani Ratnam’s Bombay, for example, is a simple story that is narrated with elegance. Someday I hope to crack that space.
Gender sensitivity shines through in your writing. For instance, the final portion of Brochevarura is refreshing in how it encourages the girl to speak up and assert herself. What would you attribute this to?
We need to normalise the idea of having well-etched female characters in our films. Bhanupriya in Swarnakamalam and Sharada in Anthahpuram are some of the female characters I grew up watching. In Brochevarevarura, the boys realise that Mithra (Nivetha Thomas) cannot be saved each time. The permanent solution would be for her to face her problems and have a voice of her own. This is why Sree Vishnu tells her that there is no space safer than home if she drives her point across. All this was not written with the intent of making a statement on empowerment. It comes naturally given my upbringing and the women I have seen around me.
Do you have women in your team from whom you take feedback?
Once my script is done, they read and share their suggestions. Whether it was Brochevarevarura or Ante Sundaraniki, I can only try to put forth a sensible and balanced perspective on gender-specific issues. But I am always eager to know whether the women thought it was right.
Ante Sundaraniki’s story involved women in different age groups — Aruna Bikshu, Rohini, Tanvi and Nazriya. How did you handle the process of voicing their thought processes in the story?
I think in life, in general, we talk more than we listen. The best thing we can do is listen to others. A friend of mine, to a question about when he and his wife are planning to have children, retorted why he should plan to have a child and in what way will it benefit the overpopulated planet. That perspective of my friend made me realise that there are people who think of children as a choice. This observation helped me while writing one aspect of this film.
In the climax scene of Ante Sundaraniki, the hero’s mother is the one who has a lengthy monologue while he sits silently. Was it easy to pull that off?
I did not think I was doing something unconventional at that point. Like any other day, we informed Nani about the scene to be filmed the following day, which had Rohini’s monologue. Nani had to remain out of focus and in a few places give his reactions. He was game for it and texted me saying he was happy to be a junior artiste that day and ended it with a smiley. I did what was essential for the story.
How tough was it to initially pitch your films that are not necessarily formulaic? Let’s begin with Mental Madhilo.
I first pitched another story titled Kavyam to producers and faced a lot of resistance. I thought I could make my mark with the first script but reality hit hard. Out of desperation, I wrote Mental Madhilo. One producer, even without listening to the story completely, said he knows of a film like Mental Madhilo and that it is releasing in a few week’s time. When I pitched Brochevarevarura, producers asked me for a reference point of any previous film on similar lines. I had none. It took time to find the right producers.
After Brochevarevarura, I was writing a thriller. But Mythri Movie Makers were keen on an entertainer. I had not yet completed writing the thriller and it was getting into a darker space. Instead, I began writing Ante Sundaraniki. Somehow I have managed to develop a free-flowing writing process without constantly thinking of the box office.
So far you have managed to do that by insulating yourself, haven’t you?
I did not enter the industry with a certain goal in mind. I just want to make good films. I am aware that one can become outdated in a few years. So I am also open to collaborations with new writers. If Mani Ratnam remains relevant after several years, it is because the writing offers something new and he is open to collaborations.
Hypothetically speaking, if you work with a star like Chiranjeevi, how would you strike a balance between catering to his fans and retaining your voice?
I will approach him only if I have a story that I think merits his presence. I am a huge fan of his work. I am aware that there will be box office expectations and he, with his experience, will have suggestions. I enjoyed watching Gharana Mogudu as well as Rudraveena. If I can, I would like to strike a balance between the two formats. I think it is important for a director to have his/her voice even while working with a big star.
