With his very first film he appealed to the family audiences. Though his subsequent movies were not very successful director Dasarath’s movies are synonymous with clean family dramas viewable at any age. For his latest film, Swagatham, Dasarath has brought together Jagapathi Babu, Anushka and Bhoomika Chawala for the first time. In an interview with Ragalahari, Dasarath tells that unlike his previous two movies, Swagatham will be an entertaining comedy.
Q: What is Swagatham all about?
A: Swagatham is all about relationships. It is a sentimental, heroine oriented movie. Though there are two heroines in the film, the story is not about two wives and a husband. Most of the film is based in USA where Anushka plays the role of a Telugu girl born and brought up there. Bhoomika plays the role of a match maker and Jagapathi Babu a businessman. Sawgatham has very good comedy. Its first half is very entertaining and the second part very soulful.
Q: Is the US location a requirement of the script?
A: Yes. The story is specifically related to New Jersey. 60 % of the film was shot on location in New Jersey, New York, Manhattan and Pennsylvania including 4 songs.
Q: And the rest of the film?
A: The rest of the film was shot in Hyderabad and Rajahmundry. We completed the shooting within 73 days and 75,000 feet of negative.
Q: What is the USP of Swagatham?
A: Entertainment and emotions. The emotions displayed in this film are stronger than those of Santhosham. And also Anushka. Till now we have just seen her in glamorous roles but in Swagatham she will prove her histrionics. The other high light of the film will be the screenplay by Gopi Mohan and comedy dialogues by Praveen Verma.
Q: What went wrong after Santhosham?
A: I guess the right quotient of entertainment was not present in Sambaram and Sri. I put in the same kind of dedication and commitment in all my projects. But for these films there was a lapse in the way the scripts were executed.
Q: How did you approach Jagapathi Babu? How is he as a producer?
A: It was Jagapathi Babu’s brother Ram Prasad, of Walden Books, who made me meet him. I am an avid book reader and that was how I met Ram Prasad. I narrated the story to him and that was when he arranged a meeting with Jagapathi Babu.
Jagapathi Babu is a very friendly guy with no ego hassels. He handled the production so smoothly and it is only because of him that this film materialized. I thank him and also our project coordinators Bhageeratha, Tandava Krishna, Kurru Ranga Rao and my directorial team. It is because of them that I am very much satisfied with the end result.
Q: Who chose the title Swagatham?
A: Jagapathi Babu suggested it. It has feel good sound to it and is very much related to the story. It also fits in with Jagapathi Babu’s and my S sentiment.
