Sai Dharam Tej made a good impression with ‘Pilla Nuvvu Leni Jeevitham’. This young hero from Chiranjeevi’s family was supposed to make his debut with YVS Chowdhary’s big budget film, ‘Rey’. But the project was mired in difficulties and it languished in the cans for a long time.
Finally, the movie is hitting the screens today. Sai Dharam Tej is naturally quite excited about this and we caught up with him for a quick conversation. Read on to see what he has to say about the movie and his career so far.
RD : Your first film is finally releasing after a long delay. How are you feeling?
SDT : (Smiles) I am kind of tensed, anxious and curious. Because this is my first film, all those feelings are coming out now.
RD : This film has been made with a massive budget. Are you under any pressure, as an actor, because of this?
SDT : YVS Chowdhary is a very daring filmmaker. If he thinks that the film or a scene demands heavy investment, he does not hesitate to spend money. The key thing is, YVS Chowdhary does not spend money to elevate the hero or other such things. He spends the money on the film, to get the right output. He is a no compromise filmmaker and the script has that potential. I am not under any pressure. It is my responsibility to perform and deliver.
RD : How and when did this Pawanism song idea come?
SDT : About a year ago, YVS Chowdhary garu got the idea to do this song after watching Thalaiva song from Chennai Express. We already have a Golimar song in the film, as a tribute to Chiranjeevi garu. So YVS garu wanted to make this Pawanism song as a tribute to Pawan garu. It was recorded then only but due to unexpected situations, it could not be done.
RD : You have already tasted success with your second film. Your debut film is now releasing after the second film. In the first film, you are bound to be a little raw. Are you worried about how you will be perceived by viewers?
SDT : I don’t think so and I have actually never thought about it like this. YVS Chowdhary garu took a lot of care while making this film and he got the best out of me. So, I don’t think this issue will be there. Even if there were instances when I gave an amateurish performance, he used to go for another take to get the best from me. Like I said, he is a no compromise director.
RD : What can you tell us about the two actresses in the film?
SDT : Sayami Kher is the heroine in the film and Shraddha Das is the villain. Both of them have done a very good job in the movie and the director extracted good performances from them.
RD : People say YVS is very tough to work with. What do you say to that?
RD : People say YVS is very tough to work with. What do you say to that?
SDT : He is not a tough person to work with. I would say he is a tough taskmaster. He makes you work hard for the best output. YVS ensures that the emotion that we need to bring to the scene, is coming out in the right way. (Smiles)
RD : The film seems to have a pop competition as its base. Do you think this point will work with our audience?
SDT : Absolutely. I am seen as a third generation Telugu person living in the West Indies. The heroine will be seen as a Telugu girl from India, who comes and tries to win the competition. The audience will be travelling with the characters and they will feel really proud, as Telugu people. It is not a subject that is away from our nativity.
RD : How is Subrahmanyam for Sale coming along ?
SDT : It is progressing well. We have long schedules ahead of us in April and May. Things have become delayed a bit but we hope to speed up things.
RD : Are you happy with how your career is progressing?
SDT : (Laughs) Yes, absolutely. I have learnt a lot these last four years and the Industry has been quite interesting. I hope to do more films at a faster pace going forward.
RD : Chakri’s departure was a shock. How was your experience working with him?
SDT : It was a huge shock for us. Chakri garu was a bundle of joy and he was so good to work with. He used to be very eager about the music and he was looking forward to this film’s release. We never imagined that this would be his last film. It is a really sad thing.
RD : The last song is supposed to be very special. Can you shed more light on this?
RD : The last song is supposed to be very special. Can you shed more light on this?
SDT : This is an eight minute song that will be quite spectacular. We shot this song for 35 days and we spent another 25 days rehearsing for it. Prem Rakshit master worked with us for those sixty days. Normally, our films tend to have either an emotional climax or an action climax. But YVS Chowdhary garu wanted these emotions to be conveyed via this song itself. It will be a visual feast.
RD : Finally, what can viewers expect from the film?
SDT : They can expect a visual feast. We have given our best to this project. I am also a fan of cinema, first and foremost. So whether it is in dances or in action sequences, we have given a no compromise kind of performance.
RD : What projects are you working on right now?
SDT : Apart from Subrahmanyam for Sale, nothing official.
We ended our conversation with Sai Dharam Tej on that note and wished him the very best for ‘Rey’. We hope you enjoyed reading this interview. For the latest Telugu movie news, reviews and galleries, do check out news.releaseday.com
Interviewed by Mahesh S Koneru
Interviewed by Mahesh S Koneru
