Exclusive interview: Director Raj Rachakonda upbeat about his Bollywood debut — 8 AM Metro

Also, he had to shelve the plans due to the untimely death of famed poet Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry with whom Raj Rachakonda intended to collaborate.

8 AM Metro now has Gulzar’s poetry!

Adaptation of a Telugu novel

A poster of ‘8 AM Metro’. (Twitter)

The movie is an official adaptation of the popular Telugu novel “Andamaina Jeevitham” penned by Malladi Venkata Krishna Murthy.

About the germination of the plot, Raj said he was working on two-three screenplays when he came across the novel. “I liked it and bought the rights. I realised that the idea is not only relevant, but is ahead of its time,” he told South First.

8 AM Metro is not a complete copy of the novel, but it forms the crux of the project. It has been shot in Hyderabad. “It is more of Lunch Box (Hindi, 2013) and Before Sunrise (English, 1995) kind of genre where the story is conversational,” Raj said.

The story revolves around two married strangers who meet on a metro train and form an instant connection.

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“Saiyami Kher plays a 29-year-old housewife (Iravati) who visits Hyderabad from Nanded in Maharashtra to assist her pregnant sister. She meets Preetam (Gulshan Deviah) on the metro train and their conversation shapes the plot,” the director elucidated.

Raj Rachakonda did take the core idea from the novel, but most of the scenes and conversations are not from the book.

“The movie showcases how they battle their inner demons, how they get to know each other through the journey and how they help each other. Unlike in the novel, there is a little conflict here.”

Up next – 8 A.M Metro.

A bustling city, a metro train, and two star crossed strangers with a poetic connection. This is 8 A.M Metro

Sadly couldn’t make it to this special day because of another shoot. Thankyou Gulzar saab ❤️

Captained by Raj R.
⭐️ @gulshandevaiah pic.twitter.com/MSXrCJ2Hvv

— Saiyami Kher (@SaiyamiKher) April 14, 2023

What to expect from 8 AM Metro?

In Choked (2020), directed by Anurag Kashyap, Saiyami played a middle-class Maharashtrian housewife. “I thought she fits the bill and roped her in for Iravati’s role.”

Lyricist Gulzar releasing the first-look poster of ‘8 AM Metro’. (Twitter)

Does 8 AM Metro have a niche audience? Raj states that he tried to target people in their thirties. “Both characters are dealing with certain issues. Iravati is fighting off recurring panic attacks and Preetam, a banker, also has an issue. But they find solace in each other’s company.”

He further elaborates that every emotion, particularly denial, grievance, acceptance, and moving on, has been handled in an incredibly mature and sensitive way in the film.

“The conversations are not preachy and some of them have been done in the style of poetry,” Raj Rachakonda pointed out.

8 AM Metro also has montages of old and new Hyderabad. There will be two sides of the city representing the two characters. The one-hour-fifty-five-minute movie also has two songs. It will hit the theatres on 19 May.

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On his journey thus far

Raj Rachakonda, Gulzar, and Gulshan Devaiah at the poster release of ‘8 AM Metro’. (Twitter)

Till now, Raj made four films in different capacities: As a writer, producer and director. So, how has the journey been?

“My initial reaction was I will never do it again. But after Mallesham, I decided to enjoy the journey. That was a conscious decision.”

The director admits that he realised that he would lose money after making Mallesham. But he was prepared this time.

“I thought that if I like it, I’ll make it honestly without the commercial stuff. I know the risks. I’ll do it and enjoy the process. The rest, like the reviews, are a bonus,” he says in a matter-of-fact tone.