Rave reviews, but no screens

Ayodhya Kumar Krishnamsetty’s ‘Minugurulu’ opened to great acclaim last week but as is the case with small films of late which have no great backing, his film is finding it difficult to stay in the screens for few more days despite good occupancy. He is even ready to shell out theatre rents for screenings across other parts of the State- Ayodhya Kumar Krishnamsetty

‘Minugurulu’ has achieved a rare distinction of being the first Indian film to have featured in the International Live Action Competition when it was screened at the recently concluded International Children’s’ Film Festival. While it failed to win the coveted Golden Elephant, its director Ayodhya Kumar Krishnamsetty managed to win laurels for the way he handled the drama about a set of blind students. The film has also been part of seven international film festivals till now. “It was awarded the best Indian film at the recently concluded Bangalore International Film festival,” says Ayodhya proudly.

However, little did the director know that it would be a different ball game when he releases the film across the State! Impressed by the film, troubleshooter Dasari Narayana Rao took the mantle of giving it a limited release and indeed he kept his promise. “It has opened to great critical acclaim. It will take time for people to visit the screens since it has no star power, but some screens have already replaced the film,” laments Ayodhya. “The principal theatre Devi (RTC cross roads, Hyderabad) has witnessed 70 per cent occupancy on Tuesday but I doubt whether the management will persist with it for another week.”

A filmmaking student of Northwest Film Centre in Portland, he is ready to shell out theatre rent to get at least a screen or two in places like Vijayawada, Vizag and Tirupathi. “My motto is to ensure that it reaches as many people as it can before other films occupy the screens,” informs the filmmaker who has researched for three and half years by visiting different visually impaired schools all over AP.

He even organised shows to thinking heads of the State. “Noted faces like CPI leader Narayana, Union Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi, Thammareddy Bharadwaj, SV Krishna Reddy and Prof Haragopal embraced the film wholeheartedly,” says Ayodhya, adding that Haragopal is keen on including it “as a curriculum for aspiring civil servants at Mussoorie IAS training institute.”

He had everything going for his film, be it an international team- cinematographer David Edward Fuller and editor Kiren G – and actors of reputed prominence – Suhasini Mani Ratnam, Ashish Vidyarthi and Raghubir Yadav – but he has learnt his lessons the hard way. “I should have realised that promotions play a key role these days. For a small and contend-driven film like ‘Minugurulu’, I should have spaced more money for publicity,” he signs off as he attends a call to a theatre stuff who wants his film to make way.