Mahanubhavudu is not remake of any film: Maruthi
Maruthi comes across as a director with a lot of aplomb.'Mahanubhavudu' starring Sharwanand as hero releases on Sept 29. In this interview, the director talks about what is his priority as a director, if some other hero could have done this role better, etc.
What is the rationale behind the title?
Onscreen heroes are always special. They are definitely at a higher pedestal. You will understand the rationale behind the title once you watch the movie.
In 'Bhale Bhale Mogadivoy', too, we saw a hero with a defect...
That was a defect. This is more of a habitual disorder. One can write a lot of stories based on human habits and traits. 'Mahanubhavudu' is one such story.
When did you write this story?
I had penned it 4-5 years ago. I happened to narrate it to Nagarjuna garu with Akhil in mind.
There is a gossip that 'Mahanubhavudu' is the remake or copy of a Malayali film 'North 24 Kaatham'. What is your say?
Just because the hero has OCD, does it mean that it's a copy of some film that has a similar protagonist? Let's talk about this after the release of my movie.
What is the inspiration? What kind of lines can we expect from the movie?
There is no inspiration as such. I have watched 10-12 films made across the globe which dealt with this subject. But you will see none of those films reflected in my film. I write dialogues as dialogues. I don't write them for the sake of 'punches'.
How satisfied are you with the performance of Sharwanand?
Very much. Any other hero would have done the role as per his style. But Sharwa has done it by getting into the skin of the actual character written. The very first day, I knew that he had got into the character very much. Yet, I showed him by enacting every scene.
Have you met any individuals with OCD?
I know few people. Those with OCD do some things repeatedly. Others are obsessed with cleanliness. I could write this script only because I have no trace of OCD in me. It wouldn't have been possible to write the character this dramatically otherwise.
Were you let down by the failure of 'Babu Bangaram'?
I was not let down by it. I felt that I couldn't translate my vision of the character onto the celluloid. Otherwise, we are happy with the film.
Would you say that it's easier to work with young heroes than established star heroes?
It's not like that. If the story is told in a convincing manner, anything goes. I ensure that my films are in a different genre every time. Since the time I made 'Prema Katha Chitram', we have seen many horror-comedies. But not all of them have worked. If you know your strengths, you can have success.
Tell us about your next with Naga Chaitanya...
It's going to be a love story. Entertainment will be its forte.