Nivetha Thomas, Vishwadev Rachakonda, child actors Arun and Abhay in ‘35’
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
At first glance, the teaser of Telugu film 35 – Chinna Katha Kaadu (Not a small story) might seem like a commentary on how we perceive mathematics and whether the education system encourages inquiry in a student. First-time director Nanda Kishore Emani describes his film as a story of relationships in the backdrop of mathematics. “My intent is to draw the audience to the on-screen relationships — between Saraswati (Nivetha Thomas) and Prasad (Vishwadev Rachakonda), their children Arun and Varun, the child’s rapport with the teacher (Priyadarshi) and the mentor (Gowtami). I look at 35 as the pass mark for their relationships. Apart from being entertained, it would be a bonus if people take home a thought.” Presented by actor Rana Daggubati, the film is scheduled to release in theatres on September 6.
Nanda Kishore has been a part of the Telugu film industry for 11 years. He wrote dialogues for Stand Up Rahul, screenplay for director Sankalp’s short film Pinky in the Netflix anthology Pitta Kathalu, among other projects. A native of Visakhapatnam, he is a chartered accountant-turned-filmmaker. “I used to write fiction for school and college magazines. I enjoyed storytelling. Had I been born several decades earlier, maybe I would have written books. The visual medium is more prominent today, hence I chose cinema,” he says, during this interview at a cafe in Hyderabad.
Nanda Kishore cites doyens K Viswanath, K Balachander, Bapu and Singeetham Srinivasa Rao among his inspirations. “I have enjoyed stories that seem to come from real life. A lot of what I have learnt about cinema is through Indian films.”
Temple town ethos
Director Nanda Kishore Emani
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
When he began writing 35, Nanda Kishore set the story in Tirupati and cites “creative and commercial reasons”. “When a story involves good-natured characters, some of us might question if such people exist in this day and age. If a story is set in a temple town, we tend to think that the divinity in the region makes it possible for people to be kind hearted. I also wanted to transport the audience to a different location and immerse them in the narrative.”
From the commerce point of view, Nanda Kishore says we have not had family dramas set in Tirupati of late and that it has become a stereotype to show faction and action dramas in Rayalaseema and family dramas in the Godavari belt. “Until the mid 2000s, we would get at least two or three family entertainers each year. The frequency has reduced now,” he says, and hopes 35 will help fill the void.
The film’s crew includes cinematographer Niketh Bommi and production designer Latha Naidu and Nanda Kishore says the story brought talented technicians together. “A narrative comes alive when backed by a good technical team.” For Niketh, the brief was to place the camera as a witness to the happenings, without being intrusive. On her part, Latha helped design sets with a lived-in vibe.
35 has music by Vivek Sagar and Nanda Kishore reveals that the emphasis was to use Indian string instruments, veering towards Indian classical music. “Vivek’s music for this film is unique.”
When the conversation veers towards his journey, Nanda Kishore says that during his early days as an aspiring filmmaker, he never used his CA credentials to forge connections. “Had I introduced myself as a CA to producers and directors, I felt they would not take me seriously as a storyteller.”
Further, he enjoyed his stint as a chartered accountant before making the switch to cinema. “The interest in storytelling got the better of me and I took the plunge.”
Short film route
Nanda Kishore Emani
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
In 2012, on learning about a short film contest by Lok Satta for which director SS Rajamouli was the judge, Nanda Kishore submitted a short film that he had made with the help of his friends. Weeks later, he received a call asking him to participate in an event that would involve all the participants. “Rajamouli sir interacted with all of us and spoke about cinema for more than two hours. It was my first cinema masterclass.” Nanda Kishore’s film found a mention among the top three in the contest.
Although this recognition motivated him, it was not easy to get a foothold in the industry. He made another short film titled Chiranjeevi and it garnered more than a million views on YouTube. Yet again, it was tough to draw the attention of the industry. “I had to be practical and decided to pack my bags and leave Hyderabad.” But soon, a friend informed him that veteran director K Viswanath was keen to watch his film. Nanda Kishore went to the director’s residence with trepidation and was moved when the doyen appreciated his work. Viswanath was also keen that Nanda Kishore be invited for a private screening of Sagara Sangamam hosted by a mutual friend. “That gesture gave me the confidence that if I tried harder, I could make an impression in the industry.”
As 35 gears up for release, Nanda Kishore reflects, “I do not give up easily, be it pursuing my education to become a CA or a filmmaker. A film cannot be judged by its scale. I believe in Rajamouli’s words that a film is big if it is high on the emotional connect. I hope my film resonates with the audience.”
