Mana Shankara VaraPrasad Garu is slated to be released in theatres on January 12. In this interview, producers Sahu Garapati and Sushmitha Konidela talk about the entertainer at length.
Sahu Garapati:
We have received very good reports from the Censor Board. Every Board member enjoyed the film a lot. It’s a clean film with full family fun. They said it’s a movie that children and families can all watch together.
The fans of both stars (Chiranjeevi and Venkatesh) are enjoying the trailer. We are also getting an amazing response on social media. Venkatesh garu has a 15-minute role. MSG won't have a sequel.
We have a strong, ongoing network of distributors. Our film has been in the Sankranthi race from the very beginning. When so many films are releasing at the same time, it’s natural for theatre allocation to take a slight hit. However, as far as our film is concerned, the theater situation isn’t a major issue.
In the trailer, we showed different shades related to Chiranjeevi garu’s character. His role has all the commercial elements. There are some amazing comedy scenes between him and Venkatesh garu.
The trailer, released recently, is just a sample. Calling this movie just a Sankranthi treat would be an understatement. There is more to the story. In every scene, there will be a smile on the audience’s face. Along with fun and comedy, the family emotions are also very real.
Chiranjeevi garu is currently busy with post-production and dubbing. His work will be completed by Wednesday. There is a pre-release event coming up, and both the heroes will attend it. There is also a special song in the film where you will see vintage Megastar.
As for premiere shows, we will roll out the bookings once we get permissions for ticket rate hikes.
My next movie under Shine Screens will once again be under Anil Ravipudi's direction.
Sushmitha Konidela:
This is a milestone project for Gold Box Entertainments and I feel honoured. Doing a film in my father’s strong genre, especially under the direction of Anil Ravipudi, is really special. This film has all the elements — comedy, action, and emotion. Everything that we felt we were missing from Chiranjeevi garu will be present in this. We all grew up watching his films, and you will see that very same Megastar in this movie.
The journey with Sahu Garapati has been beautiful, particularly because he too considers MSG as a milestone project. I look forward to reuniting with him.
With this film, it feels like my father has opened up a new talent box. Fans are saying it reminds them of Rowdy Alludu. While it brings back that vintage charm, his performance in this film feels very fresh. My father’s transformation went beyond weight loss; his dedication to fitness gave him a renewed sense of charisma. This change made our job as costume designers much more seamless. Working alongside the director, who had a specific stylistic vision, and incorporating my father’s own valuable insights, we were all able to align on a single, unified look.
Venkatesh garu's character will be significant as well as impactful. Once he forays into the story, the fun quotient only goes up. It's an enriching and entertaining character.
If you truly have the desire to learn, you can learn a lesson from my father every single day. While working on this film, I learned that once you start a task, you must give it your all — work with complete honesty, dedication, and hard work. At home, he is very fun-loving with all of us. But the moment he steps onto the set, his entire focus is on the character. Even today, his preparation is like that of a first-timer.
