Directed by Upendra, 'UI' is produced by G Manoharan and Sreekanth KP under the Lahari Films and Venus Entertainers.
Upendra at the first-look teaser launch of 'UI'. (Screengrab)
Karunada Chakravarthy Dr Shiva Rajkumar and noted Telugu filmmaker Allu Aravind released the first-look teaser of the much-awaited pan-Indian venture UI on Monday, 8 January.
The movie marks the return of Real Star Upendra as director. Uppi 2 (2015) was his last directorial.
After deliberately teasing his fans on several occasions by showcasing nothing but a dark screen with sounds running in the background, UI‘s first-look teaser gives a glimpse of Upendra’s avatar along with the introduction of the UI world (dystopian) to the fans, including the other characters played by Sadhu Kokila and Ravi Shankar.
The first-look teaser garnered over 1 million views (when last checked).
Directed by Upendra, UI is produced by G Manoharan and Sreekanth KP under the Lahari Films and Venus Entertainers banners.
Allu Aravind at ‘UI’ first look teaser launch. (Supplied)
Producer Allu Aravind, who released the first-look teaser of UI, said the city of Bengaluru has a unique and special feature about it.
“It is the only city in the entire world where people can understand so many languages. If I speak in Telugu, many can easily understand. So is the case with Hindi, Tamil, and English. This is the sole reason why the world cinema is welcomed and appreciated here. I bend my head for the city,” he said.
Allu Aravind also recollected the special bond he had with the Kannada thespian Dr Rajkumar’s family.
A good friend of G Manoharan of the popular Lahari Music for over 38 years, the producer said he will release UI on a grand scale in the Telugu-speaking states.
“UI is releasing in at least 8 Indian languages. I am amazed by the visual spectacle. In fact, I was scared as to why two minutes of it was revealed to the audience. Also, the music by Ajaneesh Lokanath is really good,” Aravind added.
The filmmaker was all praise for Ajaneesh Lokanath for his Kantara work. “After listening to the music of Kantara, I enquired about Ajaneesh. I’m sure that the music of ‘UI’ has come equally well. I’m sure UI will dominate and by the way it looks, it is simply an ‘Universal Intelligence’.”
Dr Shiva Rajkumar, who also launched the first look teaser of UI along with Allu Aravind, shared his thoughts on what the movie meant to him.
“When Uppi (Upendra) asked my opinion of UI, I honestly replied: ‘I am seeing the world through You (U)’,” he recollected.
Shiva Rajkumar recalled that while shooting for Om (1995), many asked him why I was praising Upendra so much on par with great filmmakers like Mani Ratnam.
“Even the horror film Shhh! (1993) and his debut directorial Tarle Nan Maga (1992) are no ordinary movies. I have watched Tarle Nan Maga no less than 20 times. I remember, I even went to the premiere of Shhh!.”
Shiva Rajkumar at the ‘UI’ first look teaser launch. (Supplied)
Further, Shiva Rajkumar was nostalgic about the busy time during which he was shooting for three back-to-back Kannada films including Om.
“I shot for Om from 7 am to 11 am, for Gadibidi Aliya (1995) from 1 pm to 5 pm, and for Samara (1995) from 7 pm to 3 am. It was a packed schedule. But whenever I came to shoot for Om, I could sense the difference and the energy of Upendra,” Shivanna remembered.
The Kannada actor revealed that he would usually get furious when someone messed up his hairdo but Upendra would straightaway mess up his hair once he was on the sets of Om.
He even pointed out that Upendra had several thoughts that one could observe in his films that come with a simple but real philosophy on life.
“It was Upendra who first told me that I have good eyes. He kept saying he had fallen in love with my eyes. Such gestures pep up our energy and zeal to work,” Shiva Rajkumar added.
About making a sequel to Om, Shiva Rajkumar replied, “Why not? Not that Om 2 has to be made immediately. I will forever be like this and even Upendra when we finally make Om 2.”
Director Upendra announced that he was a big fan of Allu Aravind’s son (Allu Arjun). “I have been a fan of Shivanna since his first film, and would dance around singing “tuvvi tuvvi” (a popular song from Shiva Rajkumar’a debut movie Anand (1986).”
Upendra said, he initially made films with the philosophy that “nanu” (I) was the problem and then it was “neenu” (U) and then the problem was with everyone.
“At present, I have to come to a stage where everyone is right. It is ‘U (You) should become I’,” Upendra observed.
He signed off saying expect the unexpected in the coming days.
“ಯು ಐ” ಜಗತ್ತಿಗೆ ಸ್ವಾಗತ
𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 #UITheMovie
▶️🔗 https://t.co/nEtSTuH8t3#UITheMovieFirstLook #UppiDirects #GManoharan @Laharifilm @enterrtainers @kp_sreekanth #NaveenManoharan @AJANEESHB @shivakumarart @Reeshmananaiah @LahariMusic
— Upendra (@nimmaupendra) January 8, 2024
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