He had made many films in the past with the likes of ANR, Sobhan Babu and Krishna. But many know him from the time Chatrapathi became a hit.
Now, he is a well-known name thanks to the stupendous success of Attarintiki Daaredi.
Life hasn’t surely been a cakewalk for producer BVVSN Prasad like many other leading producers in the industry. But he strongly believes that industry is such and looks forward to making many more successful films.
Few excerpts from the interview…
After Attarintiki Daaredi, you have opted to make a small budget film with Naga Chaitanya?
I don’t categorise films into big and small films. I liked the subject and Sudheer Varma is our boy. I know him for a long time now and once his first film became a hit, he narrated the script of Dochey to me. I liked the subject and we felt Naga Chaitanya would be ideal to play the lead.
What are your thoughts after producing so many films and sticking on for so long?
There are hardly any producers in the industry now. Barring a few, the entire industry is run by corporates. But a good film-maker or producer must be obsessed with film-making. Apart from profits and losses, he must love the medium of cinema and love the entire glamour of the industry.
At a time when the director and hero are deciding on a film and hunting for a producer to make it for them, things are bound to be get difficult for an aspiring producer. Still, it is very important for a producer to have a good understanding of the medium, the subject, the expenses, etc.
Increasing costs are a huge concern these days. And you flew your team abroad to get music composed..?
I think it makes sense as I did not want to wait for months to get the music director to focus on my film. If he is here, then there will n number of disturbances. On the other hand, if I fly along with them, I can get things done within a week. That’s exactly what happened for NTR-Sukumar film.As far as in-film branding is concerned, it depends on the hero and the craze of the fans.
You have come a long way indeed..?
Yes, it has indeed been a long journey. But I have learnt my lessons and I see the road ahead clearly. Luckily, my team is receptive to my suggestions and I try and get involved in various departments. In fact, even Rajamouli and Trivikram took note of my doubts and did the needful.
That’s because you are a big producer ?
I feel people listen to you if you know your craft apart from having money.
Is technology playing villain to the industry?
While advancements in technology are welcome, it has resulted in the film being on the Net by evening. For example, Attarintiki Daaredi was leaked before release. Luckily, the audiences liked the film and I was saved.
But good films run in theatres though many are vanishing by second wee?
Yes, if the subject is good and the audiences connect to the story, the film will have a dream run. But they will walk into theeatre only if there is a positive buzz about the movie. Now, it is the responsibility of the producer to get the audiences into the theatres even in the second week. Otherwise, they watch the same movie on DVDs or television.
In fact, TV has totally marred collections. But there are people who love to watch the film on the day it releases. Then there are those who watch it after good reviews and so on and so forth. So the producer has an important role to play to make sure they get the right feedback.
Which project after Dochey?
NTR-Sukumar project is in the pipeline. Apart from that, I haven’t decided on anything as yet. We are on the lookout.
