Interview : Venky Atluri – SIR’s concept is universal

Dhanush starrer SIR is off to a very good start at the ticket windows. The movie, directed by Venky Atluri, was also shot in Tamil as Vaathi. Samyukta Menon played the female lead in this social drama which is produced by Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya. Elated by the film’s response, the director interacted with the media today, and here is the transcript.

What’s the reaction of Dhanush after you gave him the narration?

Dhanush instantly liked the story and started clapping after I completed the narration. He immediately gave me his dates. Once again, it is proven that Dhanush is a man of words.

 

How did your parents react after watching the film?

My mother always encouraged me to study more. My Engineering got completed quickly, but direction took some time. My parents thoroughly loved the movie and came out with heavy hearts. The reaction of the audience is also the same.

 

What was the contribution of Trivikram to the film?

Trivikram sir believes in collaboration. As a producer, he maintained rapport during narration and script discussions. Trivikram sir gave his insights for a few scenes. Especially the scenes involving parents came out really well.

 

Can you say a few words about the dignity of labor and discrimination depicted in SIR?

This is a relevant topic that needs to be addressed. For example, there might be a software engineer who earns 25000 per month, and there might be a cab driver earning 35000 per month. Though the cab driver earns more, people may not see it with the dignity of labor. I have noticed such things and roped them into SIR.

 

What’s your reaction to the film’s response?

I watched the morning show in Chennai, and people clapped for 10 minutes non-stop from pre-climax to climax. I couldn’t ask more. People said that I made a fantastic film after watching the Telugu version. SIR’s concept is universal. We didn’t think about the release in other languages. I hope the movie will do well in the Hindi belt too.

 

What made you change your track from love stories to a socially responsible project?

I have reached the maximum limit in making love stories. During the lockdown, I saw some incidents related to education in the news and thought of touching the education topic. I have added a few experiences of myself too.

 

Could you tell us about your next project?

I haven’t planned anything yet. First, I need to see that SIR reaches the maximum number of audiences. Then I will start working on my next project. I will make something unusual next time.