'Kondaa' is Ram Gopal Varma's next flick, to be released in theatres on June 23. A biopic based on the life of Konda Murali and Konda Surekha from Warangal, the movie is produced by Malla Reddy and Naveen Reddy. The film stars Adith Arun and Irra Mor in the lead.
In this interview, catch RGV talk about the film at length.
Since I grew up in Vijayawada, I have a fair grip on the nature of rowdyism. When I made 'Raktha Charitra', I got to learn about Rayalaseema. Till 'Kondaa' happened, I had not tried to learn much about Telangana. Years ago, when I was interacting with a retired cop, he spoke about Konda Murali. I had watched some of the election-time interviews of Konda Surekha. While I had a memory of Surekha, I didn't know much about Murali. I interacted with some former Naxalites to know more about him. The Konda couple's lives are full of twists. I then pitched the idea of the biopic.
Their daughter Sushmitha herself offered to produce the movie, 'Kondaa'. My movies made in the backdrop of Mumbai, 'Raktha Charitra' and 'Kondaa' have many dissimilar elements.
I love Konda Murali's character. I like how he talks. Thrigun (formerly known as Adith Arun) has behaved like him in the movie. When I first saw the actor, I felt he would be best suited to play intense roles.
The film tells the story of Konda Murali and Surekha from their college days to the time they entered politics. The story takes place between 1990 and 2000. I have stuck to the incidents that I felt were honestly revealed to me. The couple enjoyed a huge following.
A crime is a crime. But what motives exist behind a crime? Why did the criminal have to do what he did? I am excited about such questions. I believe in showing character justification in my movies. I would have made 'Kondaa' this way even if their daughter didn't produce the movie. It's alleged that 'Lakshmi's NTR' was produced by an Opposition party leader. But I only showed what was to be shown in that film.
I haven't thought about how 'Kondaa' might help the political careers of the Konda couple. Elections are far away. I liked the drama in the movie.
The film ends before the political journey of Murali and Surekha starts. That's why there is no episode of the couple being spotted by Sonia Gandhi during a political rally in Warangal.
Murali and Surekha have seen only some portions of 'Kondaa' but not the entire movie. This film is my own interpretation of their lives. I have taken cinematic liberties in order to structure the film in a particular way. The couple completely trusted me to do what I wanted. Their lives have been narrated the way I interpreted them. 'Kondaa' catches the spirit of their lives. I didn't hand them the script of the film.
Gaddar's 'Jai Bolo Telangana' song has been re-recorded for the movie. I have added my own voice to it.
Stories based on true incidents are matchless. Even 'Shiva', 'Satya' and 'Sarkar' were based on true incidents. Real incidents have authenticity. Realism and portraying individuals as they are enjoyable to me as a story-teller. Exploring a gangster's mindset and taking him to the audience is a different experience.
I have let the background music and sound effects be atypical. For example, a hospital attack scene comes off differently due to the interplay of the sounds and the background music.
A few months ago, there was a hullabaloo about low cinema ticket prices in Andhra Pradesh. And now, the prices are being described as too high.
'Ladki' is a martial arts movie. It has been made in Hindi. I am planning a movie in Hindi with Amitabh Bachchan. It will be a horror movie to be shot from November.
