Chiranjeevi not fit for message-oriented films, opines Kodandarami Reddy

“In film industry there is nothing like sentiment, inspiration and friendship. Success only runs the industry and people involved with it,” said renowned director Kodandarami Reddy in the city on Sunday. He was addressing the topic ‘Influence of Cinema on Youth’ at a meeting organised by the Rotary Club of Vijayawada Midtown at a hotel.

Addressing the enthusiastic gathering, the director shared his experiences, struggles, success and popularity that the Telugu film industry has given him. “Story writers and directors pick out ideas from society around them. It is not completely true that people or especially youth are influenced by it because many times it is vice-versa. But the point of youth not being influenced due to explicit content cannot be ruled out,” he pointed.

When asked about his collaboration with Chiranjeevi, given that they had back to back blockbusters, Kodandarami Reddy said that he would make a comedy film with him rather than to any other action, drama and message-oriented one. “Chiranjeevi has fantastic comedy timing and his body synchronises with it very well. I don’t think people want to see him spreading messages or teaching them values now,” he laughed.

He explained about the initial struggles and sorrows before tasting success as a director, though he wanted to become a lead actor in movies. “All my friends persuaded me to try to become an actor and I took it seriously. I relentlessly tried to become one for about a year after which I gave up and came home, until my stint as an assistant director began,” he recollected. He attributed his success to his mother, and directors whom he worked under.

When quizzed about his favorite movies, he mentioned that he did not like Chiranjeevi starrer ‘Veta’, ‘Tiragabadda Telugubidda’ among a few others and went out to say that majority of his films scored a bombed at box office. He opined that Kamal Hasan and Sridevi were impeccable on screen as lead actors, as an answer to a question by audience.

At the end, the director said he was keen on directing about another eight movies, which would make him finish a milestone of 100 movies. However, he clarified that he shall concentrate only on small-budgeted movies rather than to work with stars.