Dhanush and Samyuktha from the sets of ‘Vaathi’ (left) and Venky Atluri (right) | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
With all the chaos that happens in the days leading up to a film’s release, it is natural that most filmmakers feel the heat; Some even describe a numbing stillness that comes over them. If it’s a big star vehicle that could impact your career in a big way, the director has no choice but to submit to the process and hold on to hope. So when Venky Atluri spoke to us a few days ahead of the release of his Tamil-Telugu film with Dhanush, Vaathi , Sir in Telugu), A little tension can be felt in his voice. But the filmmaker says the pressure has not affected him. “Luckily, we have a good team which makes sure that the pressure doesn’t get on me. Everyone is handling the situation well and we are on schedule.”
Vaathi, a social commentary on the education sector, is a story that came to Venky during the pandemic era when schools were closed and classes had to be taken online. “I saw how most parents, who themselves were not getting their salaries on time, had to buy a smartphone and invest in their child’s education once again. What bothered me more was how some schools charged bus fees when there was no transportation. The parents questioned the management but the reply they got was very humiliating and then the government had to intervene. After completing most of his schooling in the nineties – when coaching for engineering and medical admissions started in most junior colleges – Venky thought of telling a story about the commercialization of the education sector.
Although he had a story, it was by chance that the filmmaker narrated it to Dhanush; He says he had no agenda there, and was very happy when Dhanush gave the thumbs up. But given that he wrote it without a star, did it need a rework? Most heroes would have thought of the ‘star components’ in a screenplay – the introduction song and slow-motion moments – but Dhanush is not one of those stars, says Venky. “If you watch movies like asuran And Karnan, he plays the role of an underdog. He does not mind falling at someone else’s feet ( asuran, So he never asks anyone to change a particular script to suit his stardom.” Venky believes that this quality has made Dhanush a star. He says, “It’s great to see someone achieve stardom doing realistic cinema and she is a rare talent.”
Dhanush and Samyukta from the sets of ‘Vaathi’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
After watching about ten films of Dhanush, Venky needed to make sure that he was not repeating anything; The actor was more than happy to help. “He used to tell me ‘hey, I did something similar before so let’s change it up a bit.’ His creative inputs were very helpful and I was happy to take his advice as I was not aware of his other Tamil films and he has done close to 50 films in his career.
For VaathiVenky also had to ensure that the story was told in an entertaining manner, to avoid coming across as preachy. “There have been social dramas that tread that path and that’s what I am doing,” he says. As far as ensuring that the social commentary doesn’t attract controversy, Venky says he All he cares about is telling the truth.
Many say that the role of an artist, be it a journalist or a director making a social film, ends with presenting it to the public. What happens afterwards – whether it brings about a change in society or not – does not matter to the artist, it is said. Venky, who is making his first social drama after three romcoms, says an artiste can expect change. He cites constantly changing headlines as an example, “Suppose a journalist reports a certain truth and the article gets views, likes and people talking. After a week, when the situation is the same News gets stale and people get a reaction. New thing to discuss. Also, we can’t be pessimistic. Doing Vaathi stems from my hope to see change,” says Venky. After watching the film several times, Venky says he is confident it will touch people’s hearts. “Every time I watch the film, I feel overwhelmed Left the editing room; not a ‘sad heart’ but a ‘happy heart’. I hope the audience feels the same way.”
Vaathi is releasing in theaters on February 17