Vivek Atreya on ‘Saripodha Sanivaram’: I didn’t want my hero (Nani) to be a murderer

In the second week, director Vivek Atreya’s Telugu film Saripodha Sanivaram Continues to be warmly received by visitors. At his office in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, Vivek Athreya admits, “After the release, I was (losing) sleep and spending time with my seven-month-old son.” He says it was a race to the finish line for the action entertainer starring Nani, SJ Surya and Priyanka Arul Mohan.

When the release date (August 29) was announced in February, only 20% of the film was completed. As significant portions had to be shot outdoors, shooting in June and July proved to be challenging. The climax, planned to be shot in 12 days, took 20 days due to rain. With several actors involved in the film, it was difficult to manage their various schedules. In hindsight, Vivek feels he could have smoothed out a few rough edges if not for time constraints.

Considering his previous films- Mental Madhilo, Brocheverevaru, And Beautiful in the end – Many doubted that he could do an action thriller. See conscience row… He grew up enjoying family and social dramas as a reflection of star-led masala entertainment.

Sidestep cliche

When he started writing row…, about a hero taught by his mother to vent his anger, and an antagonist who vents his anger on helpless people, Vivek wanted to subvert a few clichés of mainstream cinema.

“I have always loved drama. At the time of writing array…. I have tried to imagine exciting theatrical moments while keeping the drama intact. For example, many viewers appreciated the twist in the pub scene involving the clock. In an earlier scene, as Ajay Ghosh speaks, we subtly focus on the clock. Given the amount of information in the early parts, I knew the audience might forget this detail. So when a twist involving the boy and the clock occurs, it comes as a surprise.

Vivek was clear that he wanted a restrained hero. “From Sunday to Friday, he is a normal boy to his father, a friend to his sister and an insurance agent but on Saturday he explodes. The story of the mother (Abhirami as Chaya) serves as an emotional anchor. I didn’t want a hero who could do something and get away with it. We see how nature chooses the day on which it can express its anger and it builds a strong foundation.”

The unfinished dialogue between mother and son defines the protagonist’s evolution. Vivek explains, “We often see anger in a negative way. I thought if anger could be channeled it might serve a purpose. The hero has learned that Nizamin Copam (Real anger) should give people hope instead of fear.”

Vivek wanted to avoid the trope of a savior. “The idea was to show that a vigilante hero could rise from one of us.” A reference point while writing Nani’s character (Suriya) was Batman. “He is one of the most grounded superheroes. He (the bat) has fear but he has to overcome his shortcomings and measure up.

The presence of the sister (Aditi Balan in a gentle role) in the latter part also comes close to a stereotype that goes awry. “In the initial draft, I wanted the sister to be present during the climax as well. But Nani and I both felt that his sister, whom he now considers his mother, would mean nothing if Nayak kept quiet. So we chose the hospital scene for the sister.”

Supporting cast

The casting – Abhirami as the mother, Aditi Balan as the sister and Sai Kumar as the father – gave the characters an edge. “As a mother Abhirami was magical; When she was on screen, it was difficult for me to notice anyone else.” Vivek urged her to sport a big bindi and tie her hair loose. “Although he is supposedly sick, I did not want to explain his illness. Her children only remember mother as a healthy woman who never showed her weak spirit.”

Sai Kumar and Vivek Atreya on the sets of ‘Saripodha Sanivaram’

While Abhirami is portrayed as a strong mother who stands up against domestic abuse, the father’s character Shankaram is inspired by Kamal Haasan’s role. Mahanadi “In this film, we see Sai Kumar constantly doing something — making dosa, sorting clothes and utensils or checking his son’s activities to avoid trouble. My brief to Sai Kumar was that the father’s character should not bear the pain of the mother’s absence. Sai Kumar was excellent in delivering witty lines and playing a concerned father.

Avoid flashbacks

Vivek revealed that he wanted SJ Suryah to play the unpredictable antagonist. The trigger for the character was the Sathankulam incident in Tamil Nadu involving a death in police custody. “Daya (SJ Surya) is the most important and clever character in the film. Even beating him can inspire fear. He shares a humorous equation with his brother Kurmanand (Murali Sharma) and becomes a monster in Sokulapalem. I had to strike a balance between entertaining kindness and terrifying.”

The villain’s introduction scene that unexpectedly reveals his backstory has been praised. Vivek wanted to avoid flashbacks. “I enjoyed writing that scene, as well as the coffee-tea tug-of-war between the brothers.”

A study in contrasts between protagonists and antagonists. Both have anger and sibling issues. While the hero’s anger keeps his family in check, the antagonist’s anger wreaks havoc.

The sun and the dishes

Nani in ‘Saripodha Sanivaram’

Ask Vivek if the inspiration for naming the hero Surya and the undercurrent of anger came from Mani Ratnam? dishes And he agreed with a smile. “I always wanted to name one of my heroes Surya. It’s a powerful name. I even thought of naming the antagonist Dev (Mammooty in dishes).”

On the influence of the mother and a fragment of her red saree that remains with the hero, Vivek explains, “In every frame where the mother is present, there is an element of red, which then extends to the sun. In contrast we used dark green for Diya and pastel green for Kurmanand.”

The names Surya, Bhadra, Chhaya (mother) and Shankaram (father) are also a monument to the Sun God family.

A childhood scene involving mother and son on a sandy beach, mounted on a wooden plank, is also a nod to Mani Ratnam. Kannathil Muthamittal. “It was definitely a reference point,” admits Vivek. “Some of these pictures make me want to be a filmmaker.”

No cruelty, please

Unlike recent action entertainers defined by brutal violence, Vivek says he didn’t want his hero and the people of Sokulapalem to end up as killers. He also avoided a close-up shot of a child lying on a knife (stick pita); In another scene he avoids showing the heroine slapping Diya. “It was enough to convey the impact without overtly showing violence.”

Discussing the performance, Vivek says the team knew SJ Surya’s writer-backed piece was full of histrionics. For Nani, the brief was to keep it subtle and explode only at key moments. “Instead of clenching his fists to control his anger, I wanted my hero to refer to the story of how Krishna and Satyabhama teamed up to slay Narakasura.” Later, it was also turned around to encourage people to stand against evil rather than looking for a savior.

Abhirami’s character acts as the emotional narrator of the story

Writing an action drama with several characters and subplots, says Vivek, involves a considerable amount of editing to contain the length. “Sometimes I wonder why I deal with so many layers. But that’s what makes the narrative unique.”

The box office success brought cheers, especially after Vivek and Nani’s earlier collaborations Beautiful in the endearned critical acclaim but did not set the box office on fire. “Nani’s success Dr array… validates our cooperation for Before… And I agree. Today, some say they prefer Before… better than Saripodha... Likewise, some people like Mental Madhilo More than that Broach... These opinions are bound to exist. I think its the climax array… Could have been better. including its script Before…I have no such problem.”

Vivek is now on a break before announcing his next film. He and Nani hope to collaborate again, this time for a full-length comedy film.