Dulquer Salmaan’s period drama Kaantha, set against the film industry backdrop, is set to release this Friday in Tamil and Telugu. Selvamani Selvaraj is the director, and Bhagyasri Borse plays the female lead. Samuthirakani plays a key role. Rana Daggubati, Dulquer Salmaan, Prashanth Potluri, and Jom Varghese produced it jointly. Ahead of the release, Dulquer Salmaan and Rana interacted with the media, and here’s the transcript.
Is Kaantha a biopic?
Rana: No. It’s completely fictional. If something happens now in a studio, everyone will get to know it immediately. But a lot of stories like these happened, but not many will know about them. The story is penned inspired by such incidents. We can call it the dark side of the great people. Two great people fighting for their brilliant craftsmanship excited me.
While doing this film, did you observe the performances of veteran actors?
Dulquer: Mahanati is also about the film industry. But it doesn’t have any references. For Kaantha, my director, I used to hold discussions on how to approach. Rana, Samuthirakani, and Bhagyasri are terrific performers. A magic was generated while working with them.
How is the film going to be?
Dulquer: Kaantha is a special film in my career. Only once in a lifetime do actors get the opportunity to be part of such films. It is difficult to recreate such an experience again. Rana and I decided to do this instantly when we heard the script.
Rana garu, to whom was the story first narrated?
Rana: Director Selva told me this story first, and we both only had Dulquer Salmaan in our minds. Later, we met him. Everything related to Kaantha was carefully designed. We looked for people who make hand-painting to design the posters.
Whose decision was it to cast Bhagyasri?
Rana: That’s the director’s choice. He searched for about six months to find the perfect person. I initially felt Bhagyasri was a modern person, and she might not suit the role. But once we shot a crucial scene featuring Bhagyasri and Dulquer, I felt she was the right choice.
Dulquer garu, what’s the reason for selecting this story?
Dulquer: We love cinema, and it’s the driving force for us. Kaantha celebrates cinema. The drama and emotions will be beautiful. Movies like these don’t come so often. This is a rare gem. Audiences will have a fantastic theatrical experience. I have immense confidence in this film.