Valmiki and its quirky characters will leave you thoroughly entertained: Harish

A remake of the Tamil hitJigarthanda,Valmiki, revolves around a gangster and an aspiring filmmaker who is looking to write a gangster drama. Ask him why he
decided to remake this film and director Harish Shankar says, “It’s the other way round... I didn’t choose this film. Jigarthanda chose me. It’s is one of my favourite films and I have immense respect for Karthik Subbaraj’s work.I love his take on the story, but I tried to present my interpretation of the basic storyline. It’s my privilege to bring this story to the Telugu audience.”
Set in the fictional village of Gaddalakonda, the film stars Varun Tej, Pooja Hegde, and Tamil actors Mrinalini Ravi (of Super Deluxe fame) and Atharvaa Murali, who are both making their Tollywood debut. “I think this film is the best entertainer I’ve made. It’s always a struggle for any creator to strike a balance between aesthetics and commercial elements, but with this film, I’ve cracked the code,” he says enthusiastically, adding, “I know people think of me as a ‘mass director’. But what many don’t know is that my favourite films are Sagara Sangamam and Mouna Ragam. despite DJ doing well at the box office, it somehow left me dissatisfied as a creator because I couldn’t reach a certain section of the audience. That’s why it was very important for me to tell this story right.”
Varun Tej plays Gaddalakonda Ganesh, a rugged gangster. “He totally transformed himself for this role. He is raw, intense and everyone fears him. But despite his ferocious looks, he is a thoroughly entertaining character,” says Harish, adding, “Way back in 2013, Varun’s father Nagababu sent me a picture of him sporting a beard, kurta and shades. When I first thought of remaking Jigarthanda that image popped up in my mind. I knew Varun had to be in my film. He grew his beard for 8 months to get the look right. In fact, we postponed the shoot for three months because the beard wasn’t long enough.”
Pooja Hegde’s transformation into a village belle has already created a lot of buzz. The director however, refuses to reveal much about her character, except that she’s the surprise element in the film. “Pooja’s character, the ‘innocent but feisty’ Sridevi, wasn’t part of the original. I got her in because I wanted to see how Ganesh would react to having a girl in his life. People will love her in the Velluvachi Godaramma remix that we shot at Yanam,” he says.
Producer Gopichand Achanta nods in agreement, saying, “Pooja got into the skin of Sridevi’s character convincingly. She plays a typical 80s girl from an orthodox family. Her life revolves around college and home, and her father’s word is final for her.”
The makers reveal they’re are excited about introducing Tamil actors Atharvaa Murali and Mrinalini Ravi to Tollywood. “Atharvaa plays Balamurali Rama, an aspiring
filmmaker who is desperate for a break. When a producer asks him to make a film on a gangster because he doesn’t want a run-of-the-mill story, Balamurali stumbles upon Gaddalakonda Ganesh and his story,” says producer Ram Achanta, adding, “Casting Atharvaa was a conscious choice. He plays a struggler, so I needed someone who didn’t already have an image in Telugu cinema. His performance will be a revelation.” Mrinalini plays Balamurali Rama’s love interest, Bujjamma. “Her character will be a little different from the original. She was so brilliant that we signed her up for three more films right after her audition,” says Harish.
Assuring that the film is a total “paisa vasool”, the producers say, “Valmiki is a pakka commercial entertainer that is not just raw, but also funny, with songs, action and
ample emotion. The dedication every department has put in will be evident on screen.”
Produced by Ram Achanta and Gopichand Achanta under 14 Reels Plus, Valmiki is releasing tomorrow.