Home Blog Page 1328

Dhootha – Vikram K Kumar interview

0

Dhootha is technically brilliant; Shot in rain for 100 days & Chay’s magic –Vikram K Kumar

The Telugu show ‘Dhootha’ is a global thriller that captivates audiences with its supernatural elements, starring the charismatic Naga Chaitanya, has garnered significant interest. Directed by creative filmmaker Vikram K Kumar, it also features pivotal roles played by Priya Bhavani Shankar, Parvathi Thiruvothu, Prachi Desai, and others. Produced by Sharat Marar, it is set to premiere on December 1 on Prime Video in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam. Here are some excerpts from director Vikram K Kumar’s special media interaction.

Why did you make Dhootha in the first place?
Having transitioned into the supernatural genre after ’13B,’ I haven’t explored it much in cinema. The opportunity presented by the web format intrigued me, and ‘Dhootha’ has been a fulfilling experience. The challenge lies in maintaining suspense and engaging the audience throughout each episode in the long format. The writing process was enjoyable, and I’m eager to see the audience’s response to the show.

What is the concept behind ‘Dhootha’?
‘Dhootha’ translates to messenger. It refers to a journalist embedded in an organization, revealing incidents within a newsroom setting.

Did you create ‘Dhootha’ to spark discussions?
The discussions about ‘Dhootha’ have been ongoing. I only expose the criticism when the screenplays are played. Some reviews come in within two hours. More in-depth discussions can take place. ‘Dhootha’ has the strength to hold up to twenty episodes.

How did the experience of creating a web series differ from other formats like films?
OTT platforms offer a significant advantage. ‘Dhootha’ is now available in 240 countries worldwide, reaching a massive global audience. Viewers worldwide, including fans of Korean and foreign shows, are showing interest in our Telugu show. The natural thriller genre has a broad fan base globally, and our show is anticipated by Telugu-speaking audiences as well.

What was Naga Chaitanya’s reaction to the story?
Chaitu is a good friend, and we collaborated for the third time after ‘Manam.’ I narrated the horror story during the making of ‘Manam,’ and he expressed fear of horror stories. However, he really liked the ‘Dhootha’ narrative, considering it a super-natural thriller fiction.

How did you come up with Naga Chaitanya’s look?
Before ‘Dhootha,’ he did the movie ‘Thank You.’ There, he portrayed a character in distress. Even in love stories, he manages to look distressed. He has a knack for appearing intense distressed and I like that. However, for ‘Dhootha,’ we tried something new. He looks impressive in a clean-shaven avatar.

How does Chay portray the role of a Journalist?
Being a journalist is a powerful role. In the democracy, journalism is a cornerstone. Investigative journalism, in particular, involves a lot of risk. To be in that profession, one needs a lot of guts. Not everyone can do that job. In this story, portraying such a character was wonderfully challenging, and Chay pulled it off well.

Expectations on Dhootha are high. How does it feel?
The real outcome of a movie is known only when it is released on Friday. But for web series, it’s a different scenario. It takes some time for the audience to decide if they like it or not. There is less urgency in comparison to movies.

Does it feel challenging to make a supernatural thriller?
I really like this genre. After ’13B,’ I haven’t done such stories until now. If I make stories in a similar manner, it feels like I’m repeating myself. So, I haven’t ventured into that zone again. Now, with movies like ‘Virupaksha’ and ‘Mangalavaram,’ I am excited to explore such stories again. I have missed this genre for a long time. Now, with ‘Dhootha 2’ and ‘Dhootha 3’ discussions happening, it seems like I am back in that groove.

How is Chay’s performance in the series?
“Dhootha” stands out for its exceptional episodes, especially during the climax and shooting sequences. Chaitu’s performance in those moments is remarkable. Nagarjuna garu has given valuable suggestions and praised my efforts. The project has been a great collaboration.

What about the actresses in Dhootha?
Regarding Priya Bhavani Shankar, Parvathi Thiruvothu, and Prachi Desai’s characters, I chose Parvathi for the revolutionary role. She’s a versatile actor and brings a brilliant performance as a police officer. Working with Priya Bhavani Shankar and Prachi Desai was also fantastic.

Tell us about the technical brilliance of the series
The web series required meticulous work, and quick completion of shooting and heavy post-production took place. It was well-received for its technical brilliance and engaging storyline. We have shot for 100 days in the rain, which is quite a meticulous job. The focus on editing and the brilliant music by Navin added to its quality.

How was the reception at IFFI, Goa?
Screening at the Goa International Film Festival was a great experience, receiving positive feedback from the audience.

Tell us about the producer of the series
Producer Sharath Marar has been a passionate supporter of the project. With his production house’s expertise, the series became possible. His dedication, even during tight schedules, reflects his commitment.

What are the other OTT series you enjoyed most?
I enjoy family dramas like “Family Man,” crime thrillers like “Scam,” and light-hearted shows like “Jubilee.”

When are you making your Malayalam debut, which is your mother tongue?
And about Malayalam cinema, my friends also suggest I try making one. However, as of now, I haven’t penned a story in that genre. Perhaps, in the future, I might explore such narratives.

No promotional campaign for Salaar trailer

0

There is no promotional campaign for the Salaar trailer. Usually, the trailers of big films will be launched at a big event, or makers will try to release them in theaters massively, or at least they will hold a simple press meeting with all the star cast, but nothing such attempt is happening for Salaar. The makers of Salaar are keeping everything regarding the trailer a secret.

The trailer will be directly released online on the evening of the 1st of December. There is no promotional campaign for the Salaar trailer. The team is not hyping the trailer’s release launch, and it did not unveil any new posters of Prabhas or other characters. 

The team may feel that the trailer cut will create the required buzz for the film. The trailer cut is significant for the movie to create a massive craze in all languages, and at such a crucial time, it is surprising that there is no promotional campaign for the Salaar trailer.

On December 22nd, Salaar, the most anticipated movie of the year, will be released. On December 1st, the trailer is set to enthrall fans and audiences, and it is essential to witness how it delights everyone. 

Director Prashanth Neel has recently revealed that Salaar is a story about two good friends who eventually become their fiercest enemies and the circumstances that caused them to become enemies. The tale of Salaar Part 1: Cease Fire will solely focus on the friendship bond that evokes strong emotions. Prashant Neel promised that Salaar would have a deeply emotional story.

Mangalavaaram’s box office failure is a big shock

0

Mangalavaaram’s box office failure is a big shock. Before its release, the film had created a lot of positive buzz with its intriguing promos and posters, and with that help, the film did 13Cr theatrical business worldwide. The trade expected that the film would open massively at the box office. But their expectations did not come true.

What is more surprising is that the film received a watchable talk. When everyone thought it was enough for Mangalavaaram to achieve break-even and enter the profits, it did not happen. Mangalavaaram’s box office failure is a big shock to the trade.

The movie got an okay to decent talk from its early premiers and morning shows. Usually, with such relatively positive work, any film will work well at the box office, at least in mass stations, but the film did not work in any center as all the buyers ended up facing 45 – 50% losses.

That is why Mangalavaaram’s box office failure has come as a big shock to the trade. The trade failed to estimate the audience’s interest in the film, resulting in big losses. The ODI Cricket World Cup, which happened in November, also significantly impacted Mangalavaaram.

Mangalavaaram features Payal Rajput in the lead role, and it was released on the big screens this Friday. The film’s cast includes Ajmal Amir, Nandita Swetha, Sritej, Ajay Ghosh, and Shravan Reddy as vital characters. Ajay Bhupathi on A Creative Works and Swathi Reddy Gunupati on Mudhra Media Works collaborated to produce this rustic thriller. 

Six old Telugu blockbuster films streaming on Netflix

0

Six old Telugu blockbuster films will be streaming on Netflix. The OTT Giant, Netflix, has been trying to get as much viewership as possible from Telugu audiences. That is why it has bought the rights of popular old Telugu Blockbusters. Six old Telugu blockbuster films will be streaming on Netflix starting tonight.

Pawan Kalyan’s Kushi, Chandrashekhar Yeleti’s Aithe, Sharwanand’s Amma Cheppindi, Balakrishna’s old super hit film Bangaru Bullodu, Maruthi’s Ee Rojullo. Prabhas’s Bujjigadu will be streaming on Netflix from night.

To increase its audience, Netflix has acquired the rights to various popular Telugu films. Starting on November 30th, Netflix will stream the old big hit films of Pawan Kalyan, Prabhas, Maruthi, Balakrishna, and Chandrasekhar Yeleti.

There is no need to specially introduce the craze and popularity of Pawan Kalyan’s Kushi. Even after 20 years of its release, the film has collected excellent numbers at the box office. Let’s wait and see how the film’s reception will be when it starts streaming on Netflix. 

Bigg Boss Telugu 7 voting and contestants in danger zone this week

0

Bigg Boss Telugu 7 voting is going on, and the details of contestants in the danger zone this week are out. In Bigg Boss Telugu 7, the ‘Ticket To Finale’ competitions are ongoing, with heavy competition between the housemates. The Ulta-Pulta season is becoming more attractive as only eight contestants are inside the house. Bigg Boss Telugu 7 has received positive feedback and TRP ratings, which is pleasing to the show’s makers.

Following Ashwini Sri and Rathika’s elimination, Sivaji, Yawar, Gautam Krishna, Priyanka Jain, Shobha Shetty, Pallavi Prashanth, and Arjun Ambati are now the housemates being nominated for week 13 of Bigg Boss Telugu 7. Except for Amardeep Chaudhary, all other housemates have been nominated. Bigg Boss Telugu 7 voting is going on, and the details of contestants in the danger zone this week are out. 

Pallavi Prashanth is said to be in the number one position in this week’s voting. Shivaji is in the 2nd position, and Prince Yawar is in the 3rd position, followed by Gautam Krishna and Arjun Ambati. Priyanka Jain and Shobha Shetty are in the danger zone, standing in the last two positions, and there is not much voting percentage difference between Arjun, Shobha, and Priyanka. So Arjun is also in the danger zone for this week. 

Director Vikram K Kumar Shares Exclusive Insights into the Dhootha Web Series

0

Director Vikram K Kumar Shares Exclusive Insights into the Dhootha Web Series. It is widely known that Akkineni Naga Chaitanya and Vikram Kumar have collaborated for Dhootha Web Series. It will be streamed on Amazon Prime Video, and the OTT Giant Showcased the Mystical World of Telugu Original Series Dhootha at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

The response to the premiere was fantastic, and Director Vikram K Kumar Shares Exclusive Insights into the Dhootha Web Series to Track Tollywood. The series consists of 8 Episodes, and according to Vikram, it is not a Horror Series.

Vikram K Kumar stated it’s a Supernatural genre film, and every episode will have an exciting climax. It is set up in different fields like journalism, medical, education, and so on. He also revealed that he has an idea for the following seasons, but it’s not still on paper.

” Every Episode Will be like a climax, it’s a 8 Days Story, and we’ve shot in the rain for 100 days. There are two challenges for this web series. One is that each episode should have a hook at the climax, and the writing should be paced. As it was an eight-episode series, the audience needed to spend a lot of time to complete the web series, so the writing should be bang on. These two aspects have been dealt strongly in Dhootha with engaging screenplay and every episode ends with a good climax and creates interest on next episode.” Said Vikram K Kumar.

Priya Bhavani Shanker and Prachi Desai play crucial roles in this supernatural suspense thriller, which is complemented by an accomplished ensemble cast. Naga Chaitanya Akkineni makes her streaming debut in Dhootha, which is also the entry point for Parvathy Thiruvothu into Telugu cinema. December 1 is when the series will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in India and more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Rules Ranjann arriving at OTT tomorrow

0

Rules Ranjann is arriving at OTT tomorrow. Kiran Abbavaram, the young actor, was recently featured in the movie Rules Ranjann. The film failed at the box office, and the information regarding its OTT release was doing rounds. Now, it is official that Rules Ranjann is arriving at OTT tomorrow.

Rathinam Krishna is the director of this comedy entertainer. Although the Sammohanuda song helped Rules Ranjann gain good buzz, the movie could not impress the audience, so it failed at the box office. Neha Shetty played the female lead.

On November 30, at 6 PM on Aha Video, Rules Ranjann will be making its digital debut, as revealed by the streaming platform. It’s been nearly seven weeks since the film’s theatrical release, and Rules Ranjann is arriving at OTT tomorrow. Divyang Lavania and Murali Krishna Vemuri produced this film on behalf of Star Light Entertainment Banner.

https://twitter.com/ahavideoIN/status/1729787075430322198?t=6wJ7z7w2ge1olB8dwXFShQ&s=19

Vennela Kishore, Hyper Aadi, Harsha Chemudu, Subbaraju, Ajay, and Goparaju Ramana played significant roles in the film. Amrish composed the music.

Latest health condition report of Vijayakanth

0

The latest health condition report of Vijayakanth is out. Vijayakanth, the leader of DMDK, was hospitalized at Myatt Hospital in Chennai on November 18th because of an illness. Vijayakanth had gone for a routine medical check-up due to his illness, including cough, cold, and sore throat, as explained by the DMDK.

However, within the past 24 hours, due to his deteriorating health condition, he was sent to get the required medical assistance for liver treatment. He will soon receive complete medical care. The hospital management said that he requires continuous treatment for another 14 days.

On 29-11-2023, the Myatt Hospital administration released a new medical report on the health condition of DMDK leader Vijayakanth.

Earlier, DMDK leaders had explained that Vijayakanth had gone for a routine medical check-up as he was suffering from a cough, cold and sore throat. Reportedly, he has been undergoing treatment there for the past 10 days. Though the party issued a statement that Vijaykanth’s health is good, the fans were worried and today the latest bulletin by the hospital management confirmed that his health is deteriorating.

Allu Arjun blindly signed Sandeep Vanga’s film

0

With Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal approaching its release date on 1st December, the promotions are at their peak. Sandeep Reddy Vanga and brother Pranay are giving back-to-back interviews for movie promotions. During an interview, Pranay Reddy Vanga revealed that the story for ‘Spirit’ with Prabhas has been finalized. The treatment for the story is pending which will start after two months and the shoot will start in September 2024.

After ‘Spirit’, Sandeep Vanga and Allu Arjun’s film has also been officially announced and Pranay revealed that there is no story for this film at the moment. Both Allu Arjun and Sandeep have agreed to work without a finalized story. At the moment, Allu Arjun has Pushpa 2 and Trivikram film.

The reason behind announcing the film without a story is that Allu Arjun has complete belief in Sandeep. Interestingly, he did the same for Pushpa with Sukumar. Pranav said that Allu Arjun has complete faith in his directors.

Coming to Animal, the film will release on 1st December and it’s expected to smash several opening day records fo a Bollywood film. The film is produced by T-Series and features Rashmika Mandanna, Bobby Deol and Anil Kapoor.

Leo’s Hindi OTT response highlights the missed market potential

0

Leo’s Hindi OTT response highlights the missed market potential. It is widely known that Thalapathy Vijay’s Leo started streaming on OTT recently. Though, a section of audiences felt disappointed with the OTT version being the same as the theatrical version, many audiences have given good response. Especially, Leo’s Hindi OTT response highlights the missed market potential.

The producers of Leo first promised that they will promote the film massively in Hindi, but they did not do a single promotional event for Hindi and even the film did not have a proper theatrical release because of the 4-week OTT deal the film was released in non-national multiplexes.

However still, the film went on to collect 30Cr net in the Hindi version, which is a sensational achievement as the film gathered such a big number without promotions and non-national multiplexes release. If the makers had promoted well and released in National Plexes then the numbers would have been very bigger.

The producers of Leo completely underestimated the combination of Lokesh Kanagaraj and Vijay with LCU brand in Hindi markets. Definitely there was a giant potential, but it got wasted. Now on Netflix the Hindi version is trending at no 1 position, which shows how much interest the Hindi audiences are showing in watching the film.