Today most of the Tollywood films are being shot only in overseas, mostly in Europe or Singapore, Thailand. Movie lovers are left wondering why film makers are smitten by overseas beauties when local locations can score over the beauty and exoticism in many aspects. They say even production costs will come down if shot in country’s beautiful locations. However all these words have no effect on film makers as they fall in deaf ears.
Sometime back a producer from coastal Andhra , produced a film with debutant director. But after the film’s success, the producer to the surprise of all revealed that he prayed to almighty for the failure of the film. He said now that the film has become a hit, many more film makers like him will suffer at the hands of that director. This shows how much torment directors give to producers. Top tollywood producer Rama Naidu used to say that producers should be treated with respect. However now a days , many directors are squeezing and sucking the blood of producers. Many producers off the record agree with this statement giving vent to their feelings.
Film makers normally aspire to do films with top directors and heroes. From then on their tribulations start. Many heroes now are not asking film makers not about subject but about their budget. That was the reason why a producer who recently made a hit film with top hero and a top director never went on to do another film. One wonder what value Puri Jagannath for example has given to the crores the producer spent on ‘Deuvdu Chesina Manushulu’.
Producers like MS.Raju,,Ramanaidu, Doraisamy Raju, Aswini DUtt drastically reduced their films. Films of Dasari Narayana rao and Ramanaidu never used to cross the budget. One look at Prabhas’ ‘Rebel’ tells the whole story. Original producer left due to the rising costs and delay in the project and it was left to Dil Raju to take up the project. The fault lies with Raghava Lawrence, the director. Nagababu still couldn’t recover from the losses he suffered with super flop ‘Orange’. If a director thinks creatively a classic film can be made at low cost. Best example is Santosh Sivan’s ‘Urimi’ which was shot in outdoors and simple sets. Had the film been directed by tollywood directors budget would have risen enormously. ‘Sakuni’ is another example where the entire film had been shot in a old house. The film makers did not even erect a set of the old building. They shot in a old Chettinad House in Tamil Nadu.
Directors should keep in mind that producers are required for film making in tollywood and should not suck their money considering the notes as mere papers.