Director Srikanth Addala would constantly restrain my overenthusiasm, recalls actor debutant Virat Karrna

Peddha Kapu 1 is an action drama starring Virat Karrna and Pragati Srivastava in the lead roles. Chota K handled the cinematography and Mickey J composed the music.

Plot of Peddha Kapu

Virat Karrna, Srikanth Addala, and Pragati Srivastava on the sets of ‘Peddha Kapu’. (Supplied)

Set in the 1980s, the story traces the political events that occur in a fictional village in Andhra Pradesh. It also showcases how caste politics and family feuds took precedence in the volatile political atmosphere soon after legendary star late NT Rama Rao forayed into mainstream politics.

“I play the role of Peddha Kapu. How he gets to see the change in a small village which is influenced by major political developments forms the crux of the story. As Peddha Kapu faces challenges posed by his rivals, he finds a way to win over his opponents. This is the story of the first part,” Virat Karrna explained.

Virat is the brother-in-law of producer Miryala Ravinder Reddy who shot to fame with blockbuster hit Akhanda (2021).

The debutant initially worked with the production department to get the pulse of moviemaking and its process.

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On his foray into films

About his entry into films, Virat Karrna said, “Soon after my studies, I joined the production team of Jaya Janaki Nayaka (2017). Then I realised I was not content with production work because acting was my passion. However, I had to look after production work due to my personal interest in films.”

Debutant actor Virat Karrna. (Supplied)

The actor recalled, “Satyanand garu is my guru. He trained me in acting and helped me shed my inhibitions. He would always say, ‘One needs to adapt to the character, live it only then you could enter the skin of it’.”

Virat feels lucky that he got to be involved in action sequences on the very first day of the shoot.

He said director Srikanth Addala complimented him that his physique suits an action drama more than a love story.

“It somewhat pushed up my confidence levels, but the director would constantly restrain my overenthusiasm as he wanted me to be understated. But then, it wasn’t easy to nail an action scene. Everything had to be realistic on the screen,” Virat recollected the shooting days.

“The dialogues should have intensity. Only then does it reflect so organically. No scene should look cinematic and over the board because Peddha Kapu is a commoner in the movie. Action choreographer Peter Hein toiled hard on the sets to get the rustic and natural look,” the actor noted.

Related: Cinematographer Chota K Naidu on ‘Peddha Kapu’

‘Not caste conscious’

According to Virat Karrna, Peddha Kapu‘s story narrates how the emergence of a new political wave in the State affects him and his clan in the village.

“I have a few scenes with Anasuya Bharadwaj who is playing a key role in the film. Some scenes in Peddha Kapu will certainly give goosebumps to audiences,” the debutant actor said.

Virat also claims that he is not a caste-conscious person. “Caste doesn’t influence me in any way. I feel social change can take place only if every individual works for the cause. It doesn’t happen overnight with one single leader.”

He revealed that he attended workshops to understand the behaviour of rural people in villages. The aesthetics were all taken care of by the art director and production unit.

“Everyone was so involved in the movie that we all felt sad while bidding goodbye on the last day of the shoot. The story of Peddha Kapu moved us all. And the best part — Peddha Kapu 2 — is yet to come,” Virat Karrna signed off.

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