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| Siva Sri Kanchi |
Director S S Rajamoulis films all have the story penned by his father Vijayendra Prasad but for the first time he is working with another writer. Kanchi scripts Maryada Ramanna. I first heard the name of writer Kanchi when the film Maryada Ramanna was started. I was curious as to who he was, and I then got to know that he was related to the director S.S. Rajamouli but I didn't get a chance to talk to him until now. As the film is getting ready for release, here we are presenting this new scriptwriter.
What's your full name?
Shiva Sri Kanchi.
How you are related to Rajamouli?
(Laughs) I am first cousin of Rajamouli and younger brother of Keeravani gaaru. After me is Kalyani Mallik.
I heard that you were an associate to Vijayendra Prasad gaaru. But for this film I think he assisted you...?
It is wrong to use the word assist, but Vijayendra Prasad garu guided me. I started working with Nandi (Rajamouli) from the film Sye and worked for Chatrapathi, Vikramarkudu, Yamadonga, and Magadheera in script stages.
What did you do before Sye? Did you have any hands-on experience in the field before that?
I worked for the popular TV serial Amrutham for Just Yellow Media, and had done the first 70 episodes with Sivaji Raja. Nandi was then working on Student No.1 and Simhadri. As I was busy with the TV serial, I didn't work for that film. I thus joined him from Sye.
What were your contributions to Sye, Chatrapathi, Vikramarkudu, Yamadonga, and Magadheera?
I cannot really pinpoint and say, "This is my contribution" for any film as it's all a team effort. We all discuss everything and thus it's a combined effort.
But, there could be a significant change or scene (in your contribution) that helped the film on the whole?
Hmm... let me think! Originally, in the film Sye, Nazar wasn't related to Rajeev Kanakala and the later was just a coach. I suggested that Nazar should be Rajeev Kanakala's father, so that there's an emotional bond also and that it works better. In Chatrapathi, I suggested how the brothers should meet and the scenes that follow. In Vikramarkudu, I told how the kids irritate Attili Sattibabu who does not like kids. (When I was younger, I didn't like kids so much, and thus Nandi asked me to develop those episodes saying, "neeku pillalu anTE paDadu kadaa, andukani pillalaki sambandhinchina dRSyaalu annii nuvvE ceppu!"). In Yamadonga, we originally conceived that the hero knows about Lord Yama's disguise as Mamta Mohandas in the end. I felt that he should know it earlier itself, in order to justify the song Olammii, tikka rEgindaa!... better. I also contributed to some scenes before and after the interval in the film. In Magadheera, I proposed there should be an emotional dilemma to hero and that he gives importance to the horses and the horse saving him when he falls into quicksand, in order to show his bonding with the animal. I also suggested some scenes before the interval.
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| Kanchi with Sunil |
Maryada Ramanna is a different plot point on Rajamouli's career graph. How did you manage to convince him with the story?
Actually, it is Nandi's idea and not mine. Even before Magadheera was completed, he felt that he needed to come out of the mould and thus announced that he'd make a small film with Sunil, which surprised everyone. He then called me and asked me to prepare a story to suit the idea, but was not sure what kind of story would be the right blend of the image that Rajamouli as well as Sunil have! Several discussions followed before Mullapudi Vara (writer Mullapudi Venkata Ramana's son and director of Naa Alludu and Vishaka Express) came up with the basic idea of the film that we all liked, and I then developed the story into a romantic comedy and action based entertainer taking that aesthetic yet a flimsy idea.
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