EXCLUSIVE: “Initially, there were not many backers for Maa Inti Bangaram and doubts raised about how it would do,” reveals Himank Duvvuru of Tralala Moving Pictures; also answers if they will remake the Samantha Ruth Prabhu starrer in Hindi
Himank Duvvuru is the producing partner at Tralala Moving Pictures along with the superstar actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu. The production house recently tasted success with director BV Nandini Reddy’s Maa Inti Bangaram, an action-comedy starring Samantha. The film not only received acclaim but also went onto become a rare woman-led Telugu film to reach Rs. 100 crores at the box office. Himank got talking about the success of Maa Inti Bangaram, their strategy at Tralala and more in an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama.
As producers, what is your and Samantha’s reaction to the acclaim and box office success garnered by Maa Inti Bangaram?
To see a female-led movie do so well and unanimously win praise across the world is something that we are extremely happy about. I think it’s also a testament to our belief in the story right from the beginning. We knew there was something special that the story had. Just the visual of an Indian woman in a saree with a shotgun itself was a point all of us were extremely excited about. And the story that was built around that particular character – the emotions, relationships and finally the core of the film, which is protect your family, no matter what – is something that we thought would definitely work.
What were your expectations when you set out to make the film?
As producers, it’s a big win for us. Initially, there were not many backers and there were doubts about how the film would do. But I think we stuck to our guns and we believed that the project would be successful. We also built the project in a particular way to ensure its success. So, as producers, the reactions that we have received from the fans is overwhelming. And we are really grateful that they gave the movie a chance.
What was the preparation process for Samantha like for the action sequences of the film?
The USP of the entire movie and, especially, the fight sequences is the way it was realistically shot and realistically designed. That was the brief we gave our stunt choreographer and action director. When a woman is fighting, you have to make it seem realistic. It’s very tough for people to believe anything that is not realistic; the sort of things you seen in big movies where all sorts of things are flying in the air.
With respect to Samantha’s preparation, the good thing is that she is an extremely fit, agile and very hard-working actor. The preparation has been spot on. Throughout the movie, I don’t think we have used a stunt double anywhere for her. She was there practicing the choreography with the stunt director and rehearsing with the other actors. So, it was a huge amount of dedication and hard-work and technique, more importantly, that she learnt. It helps that she is fit, agile and she is very athletic. It was amazing to see the lead actor go through this kind of experience.
Have you and Samantha thought of remaking Maa Inti Bangaram in other languages, especially Hindi?
It’s a rooted and culturally set movie. This is also one of the reasons we did not release it in Hindi or any of the languages. We just felt that it’s a Telugu and South Indian film first and we wanted to keep the authenticity of it. Can we remake it in Hindi? Yes, sure, why not? But again, the movie has to be culturally set. And if we do find the right partners and right actors, it’s an option worth considering.
What do you at Tralala Moving Pictures look into before agreeing to back a project?
There are a few steps that we follow. Raj (Nidimoru) picks up the stories and the kind of movies we make. I think one factor we all agree upon is that we want to make movies that have a unique line, some sort of quirk; there should be something special about it. The two movies that we have done so far are such and we will continue to pick such movies. Raj is the one who is the main creative force behind taking the story. Then we discuss all the stories that are on the table. Samantha has a great sense of what the audience wants. Then I come in and look at the viability of it from the budget and exploitation point of views.
Raj Nidimoru is the co-producer, creator and screenwriter on Maa Inti Bangaram. Can you recall any valuable input he gave that helped the film in a large way?
Raj is not someone who gives just some valuable input. He is the creative force at Tralala. Everything that you see and design is his brainchild. So, creatively, we are the ones who give a little input here and there but everything else comes from Raj’s mind. We are very fortunate to have his mind working on all our stories.
What are your plans for your production house in the near future?
We are currently working on a few stories. We have a writers’ room. So, as a process, we have a few stories that are in the pipeline and then the writers room draw out the characters and storyline. And then if it’s a viable project, we take it on the floor to write it further.
Wil Tralala Moving Pictures ever like to produce a Hindi film?
Who knows? Why not? We don’t want to restrict ourselves to just one language. We want to be a global force and an international production house that makes very interesting stories; language agnostic. Our main aim is to really make good films. It doesn’t matter which language it is in. The movie needs to have a certain cultural context and needs to be set in a certain way. The A24 model is something that we would like to follow. We want to operate efficiently, we want to pick the right movies and we want to make films that people don’t forget.
Also Read: Samantha Ruth Prabhu on embracing motherhood; says, “I’ve been waiting for this moment, I’ve always wanted to be a mother”
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