Director Hari And Harish Interview On Film Yashoda

'Yashoda' starring Samantha in the title role. Produced by noted producer Shivalenka Krishna Prasad under the banner of Sridevi Movies. Directed by Hari and Harish, the film is releasing worldwide this Friday in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi languages. Director duo Hari and Harish interacted with the media on the occasion. The interview with both of them...   

You have made films like 'Oru Iravu', 'Ambuli', 'Aa' and 'Jambulingam' in Tamil. The ideas are new in terms of making. Also experiments! 'Yashoda' is a big film in terms of scale. Tell us about it!

There is a lot of difference in terms of scale . In terms of the challenge, it is the same. In terms of the challenge, there are no hero heroines. When it comes to 'Yashoda', we have done it on a huge scale. The film also has challenges in terms of content. Our intention is to always make a new point in terms of the story. What matters is how the content is said. A story like this requires such a budget too! Samantha, along with the other cast and technicians, will automatically grow when they arrive.   

If you want to make this film in three to four crores... The producer says he has increased the budget! Don't you think it's risky?*

We have prepared a version to make the film at low production cost. We have written with Samantha garu in mind while writing the script. Will we do it with her or not? I don't know. So, we have written it on a low budget. When Sivalenka told Krishna Prasad garu, he asked him, 'Why not do it on a large scale?' "The content is good. There will be a global reach. Let's make a pan-India film in five languages." It is possible to do so when there is a star cast. After meeting Samantha garu, we wanted to do it on a huge scale. We discussed it together and wrote the story. The film is very new when it comes to content. It's not just pan India, it's also new for the audience in the pan world. Technically, it is like a commercial film.

Samantha said that the script was written based on real events. Now there is a lot of discussion on surrogacy. What did you think while writing the script?*

Surrogacy is not the main story. It's a part of the story! That's why we told it openly. There's more to the story than surrogacy. We've written the script based on what we've seen and read in the news . You'll be shocked to see the film. 

"Whose idea is the story of 'Yashoda'?*

Harish saw the news and asked if we can do anything about it. We developed the script together. There was a lot of time during the corona lockdown. Then it all happened. 

*Is there an international cinema inspiration?*

No. No movie reference... Only news reference! No one has an idea of what's going on around us in the world.

What were the things that you found challenging in narrating the story? After watching the news and developing the script, we added the suspense elements. Then the screenplay became more interesting. There is tension in the audience as to what will happen next?

*Why did you want to do it in Telugu and not in Tamil?*

The reason for doing Telugu is because of our friend, senthil garu, the executive producer of the film. While preparing the first version, he wanted to produce it. After listening to the first version, krishna prasad garu  was given a narration on the phone for opinion. We met him when he came to Chennai for SP Baalu garu's funeral. He said that he would like to produce the film on a large scale . He thought about the story without looking at his selfishness. Krishna Prasad garu said that we are going to make a big film on a pan-India scale and we prepared the story accordingly and told samantha garu .

How was the working experience with Samantha? How was she on the sets?*

No matter how big an emotional scene is, they ask for two minutes. After the entire set is silenced , it's easy to do it. Glycerine is also not used. What do we want? It was easily given. There is a move in the film every 20 minutes. The film goes to the next level. The surprises are shocking. This is an emotional scene in the films we have done. We talked about women and motherhood. There are different shades in the film. She did very well. 'Are you okay? Do you want one more?'

Did samantha's health condition make it difficult to shoot?

We came to know about it during the post-production work. She never disturbed the shoot. A stunt scene was done wonderfully. That evening while packing up, she was told that she had a fever. She was working so dedicated. She wanted no one to suffer because of her. Yannick Ben did two and Venkat Master did three stunt scenes.

Did you write the action scenes earlier or did they write it after watching 'Family Man 2'?

When we wrote the script, there were action scenes. They were elevated due to samantha garu's presence.  

"There have been so many films on surrogacy? What's new about it? Will there be a medical mafia?*

There are a lot of films on surrogacy. There are so many films on surrogacy. Now everyone is talking about that topic. It's a surprise to us. During the lockdown, many poor women gave their pregnancy to surrogacy for money. If twins are born, they get more money and they say yes to it too.

"We have come to know that a huge set has been erected for the surrogacy fertility centre. Why?*

We have named the surrogacy fertility centre as 'Eva'. We will see why we have named it after the film. We thought that the centre should be grand. For that we saw all the star hotels in Hyderabad city. We need some freedom to shoot. Star hotels are restrictions. Then if you ask the producer, we will have to put up the set. A wonderful sketch was given. Krishna Prasad garu did not compromise on the expenditure. Since it is pan-India, we wanted people from all states to connect. 

Where was the majority of the shoot done?

We have set up sets in Nanak Ramguda. The film will have a total of 30 and 40 sets.  

About producer Shivalenka Krishna Prasad... 

Not only does the story have to give what it wants... Those who knew Telugu and Tamil were selected. We were made sure that there was no trouble for us. , Mani Sharma, Marthand K. Venkatesh, Sukumar... Everyone has done 100 or 200 films. Mani Sharma ji has given us a lot of freedom. Marthand K Venkatesh has edited it as crispy. Creative director Hemambar Jasti garu (Bulli garu) has been very supportive of us. He has  a lot of experience. Casting director Pushpa garu has also selected good actors. 

Are there songs in the film?

There are bit songs. Mani Sharma garu has given wonderful music. We have worked with him for the first time. He has done small bits of songs. Every time I hear them, i am reminded of that emotion . 

Since your mother tongue is Tamil... Think in Tamil. It may be different in Telugu. Did it affect the film?*

No. Pulagam Chinnarayana garu and Dr. Challa Bhagyalakshmi garu made sure that the flow was easy. Our feeling was very convincing. We met them with a bound script. Then we added some of the things they said. There were positive conversations between us. Both of them came from a journalist background. They had a lot of command. Well done. We know a little Bit of Telugu. Tamil can come. Pulagam garu wrote it and she used to explain it to us in Tamil. Our work became easier. She said a few things from a women's point of view.

"What will be the character of Varalaxmi Sarathkumar?

We narrated the story to her on a Zoom call and told her 20 minutes. If she was silent, we didn't understand anything. After listening to the whole story, she asked, 'Where do you get such ideas from?' When asked, 'Is the story okay for you?' he asked me to bring the story to the screen. They see her anew.

How is the film going to be?

Yashoda is a thriller with emotion. After watching the whole film, we felt the same way. Rajamouli garu is our inspiration in this regard. He says that every scene should have emotion.

Sivalenka krishna prasad is doing another film in the production...

There is a film with him. We asked for some time. There are story ideas.