After the initial 15 minutes, the story becomes so gripping that the viewers cannot turn their heads, the filmmaker oozed confidence.
Published Jan 10, 2024 | 3:46 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 10, 2024 | 3:46 PM
Sailesh Kolanu's next is Venkatesh-starrer 'Saindhav'. (X)
Describing the plot of the upcoming Telugu action drama Saindhav, director Sailesh Kolanu says the story revolves around drug cartels, the gun business, and the dark gangster world. It is set in the fictional city of Indraprastha.
“The narrative required a city with a beachside. Choosing a real location like Visakhapatnam seemed unconvincing and unreal for such dark activities. Placing the story in a city like Mumbai would compromise its nativity. So, we created a fictional city of Indraprastha,” Sailesh Kolanu explained, during a media interaction on Tuesday, 9 January.
Saindhav, Victory Venkatesh’s 75th milestone film, is bankrolled by Venkat Boyanapalli under the banner of Niharika Entertainment. The film is releasing worldwide on January 13.
After grabbing the eyeballs with two successful investigative thrillers — HIT (2020) and HIT: The Second Case (2022), Sailesh Kolanu was introduced to Venkatesh Daggubati.
“During our initial meetings, the discussions were not centred around the movie. Instead, we engaged in general conversations about people and miscellaneous topics. A strong bond developed between us over two or three meetings, and we thought of collaborating on a film,” the filmmaker recalled.
That’s when the director presented the concept of Saindhav from his stories.
“Venkatesh garu declared that it would be his 75th film. Subsequently, I developed the idea into a comprehensive script. After he heard the entire story, he okayed the script. His valuable experience helped me refine the script further,” he added.
Sailesh Kolanu at he pre-release event of ‘Saindhav’. (X)
The decision to bring Nawazuddin Siddiqui on board was Sailesh Kolanu’s idea.
“Initially, Nawazuddin was not keen on doing big South Indian films due to concerns about dubbing. But Venkatesh garu supported my idea, and we subsequently approached producer Venkat Boyanapalli garu. Fortunately, the role that I offered Nawazuddin does not speak entirely in Telugu. It has deccani-Hyderabadi slang. So, he agreed to dub for it. Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s role in Saindhav is unique,” he added.
So, what was the purpose of roping in an ensemble star cast for Saindhav? Well, the director educated that every character in the film serves a purpose in conveying a meaningful message.
“The intention was to shed light on the challenges faced by those who struggle with spinal muscular atrophy, a rare disease. The struggle of parents seeking a costly injection of ₹17 crore is often not well understood. To raise awareness on this issue, it was essential to involve actors with a wide reach.”
This was how Arya, Andrea Jeremiah, and Ruhani Sharma joined came board. Sailesh Kolanu says they play crucial cameo roles to help communicate the larger message.
“While the term ‘spinal muscular atrophy’ is mentioned in the story, Saindhav does not delve into the intricacies of solving the problem. The organic storytelling connects with the audience and impresses with its larger-than-life elements,” said Sailesh Kolanu, an alumnus of BITS Pilani-Hyderabad.
Approximately 70 percent of the story unfolds during the night.
An intriguing introduction of characters played by Venkatesh and Shraddha Srinath set the right momentum for the story to start. After the initial 15 minutes, the story becomes so gripping that viewers cannot turn their heads, he oozed confidence.
Just delivered the final domestic copies. Saindhav is yours now. I just wanted to share something with you and I am saying this with utmost humility and politeness. The last 20 minutes of #Saindhav will remain as one of the best pieces of cinematic experiences anyone could have…
— Sailesh Kolanu (@KolanuSailesh) January 10, 2024
Sailesh seems to have become a fan of Venkatesh while working on Saindhav. “I expressed it during the pre-release event itself. Having been born in Madras, I grew up watching Superstar Kamal Haasan’s films, and his work left a lasting impact on me. The decision to enter the film industry was influenced by Kamal Haasan’s film Hey Ram (2000). It was an amazing experience working with Venkatesh in close quarters. Watching Venkatesh’s films from my childhood, I am influenced by his performances,” the filmmaker signed off.
