Kodi Ramakrishna: I owe my success to my producers

Saying that expectations around 'Nagabharanam' are huge, Kodi Ramakrishna talks about the film's subject, recreating Vishnu Vardhan and more.  

What is the subject of 'Nagabharanam'? 

The film tells the story of a snake which, in its attempt to execute an unfinished agenda, does it through a Naga Kanya.  What obstacles she faces, and how she is helped by Lord Shiva, forms the crux.   So far, my films have been dubbed from Telugu into other languages.  'Nagabharanam' is an exception.  Looking at the huge expectations, I am both happy and tensed.   The movie will be released in about 600 theatres.  

Recreating late Kannada actor Vishnu Vardhan has garnered many eyeballs.  Whose idea was it and what went into that?

Vishnu Vardhan's character appears as the game-changer in the climax.  It was our passionate producer Sajid's idea to recreate him through CG.  He worked it out with Makutha and talked to me about the idea only after he was sure about its feasibility and possibility.  After watching the recreation, Vishnu Vardhan's wife got so emotional that she spoke in a trance.  Such a big star wanted to work with me after he watched 'Bharath Bandh'.  He asked me to prepare a script for him and within 2 months, sadly, he breathed his last.  

In fact, after watching it, a big Tollywood actor, whom I don't want to name in public at this stage, has expressed his liking for the technique so as to recreate his late father on the reel. Whenever I see a new technology used in a film, I try to know about it first-hand.  As my films ('Ammoru', 'Devi', 'Devi Putrudu', 'Arundhati' and the like) show, I don't infuse graphics for the sake of doing it.  

You are a most successful producer with an 80 per cent success rate.  Who contributed the most in your stellar journey?

I am successful because of my producers first.  I was fortunate to get such producers who love cinema.  To quote an example, we went to a Vizag theatre a few days after the release of 'Muddula Krishnayya', expecting appreciation.  To our shock, the exhibitor suggested that we edit out certain portions.  The producer was worried.  As he believed in the content, he immediately ordered half-page ads in newspapers for 21 days.  The film went on to be played for one year. 

You were making a folk drama with Balakrishna?  What happened to that?

Although the film was planned well, it had to be shelved.  Some projects just don't work, just as some planes go missing mysteriously.  After producer Gopal Reddy fell sick, it was shelved.  His son is interested to revive it.  About 60 per cent of it was done.  

What about the film on Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Baba?

The film is 40 per cent done.  It deals with how he went on to become a Godman.  Music is by Ilayaraja and the shoot will recommence in December.  It will be wrapped up by the end of February.