Celebrity stylist Neerraja Kona is making her directorial debut with the romantic drama Telusu Kada, which features Siddhu Jonnalagadda, Raashii Khanna, and Srinidhi Shetty. The triangular love story produced by TG Vishwa Prasad and Krithi Prasad under the People Media Factory banner is set for grand release on October 17. Ahead of the release, the director interacted with the media and here’s the transcript.
What made you choose direction?
I have loved writing since my school days. I even published a poetry book. I enjoy telling stories, and with encouragement and support from friends like Nani, I gained the confidence to write a story. That’s how Telusu Kada happened.
How did the meeting with Siddhu Jonnalagadda go?
I met him and narrated the story. He listened to it in one go, and his manager later told me that Siddhu was satisfied with the script. That was the best moment of my life. I’m very happy to be introduced as a writer and director with Telusu Kada.
What can we expect from Telusu Kada?
It’s a love story with a complex element at its core. The film is character-driven, with three strong roles. Every character behaves honestly, and audiences will find an emotional connection. We didn’t reveal the story in the teaser. Through the trailer, we wanted to highlight that Telusu Kada is essentially a character-driven film.
Generally, when a female director helms a project, there might be bias toward female leads. How did you deal with that aspect?
It doesn’t matter who writes the story — what matters is whether it’s good. My focus was on telling an honest story. I want people to feel that a good filmmaker has made this film, nothing more, nothing less.
DJ Tillu is an iconic role played by Siddhu. How challenging was it to present him differently?
Getting an iconic role is a blessing. Some actors don’t get that opportunity even after multiple films. Siddhu got one such role early in his career. Because people strongly associate him with Tillu, it’s challenging for him to play different roles. But he brought a unique dimension to Varun’s character and fulfilled my vision perfectly.
Tell us about the female leads.
Ragha, played by Srinidhi, is a very complex character. I told her about this role even before HIT 3. She being part of films like KGF and HIT 3 turned out to be beneficial for us. Raashii Khanna, on the other hand, delivered a splendid performance as Anjali.
What are your future projects?
I’m planning to make hard-hitting love story. I will make a formal announcement very soon.