Acclaimed for helming thought-provoking movies such as Mallesham and 8 A.M. Metro, director Raj R. is back with yet another hard-hitting film. Titled 23, the film is based on real-life incidents that shook the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, and it is scheduled for release on May 16. Popular actor Rana Daggubati is distributing 23 through his Spirit Media. Starring young actors Teja and Thanmayee in lead roles, the film is produced under the Studio 99 banner.
In a latest media interaction while promoting 23, director Raj R revealed several interesting aspects of the idea behind the making of 23. He revealed that his journalist friend told him about the sensational Chilakaluripet bus burning case and Chundur massacre. “When I compared both stories, I saw a narrative that could work for a film, including the Jubilee Hills car bomb blast case. These are very sensitive topics, as these incidents destroyed many lives and countless families. Narrating their stories is quite challenging,” said the talented filmmaker.
Raj R went on to say that a poignant love story between a young boy and girl is the key element in 23. He also revealed that he had tough times with the censor panel. “This movie stands against violence. We faced some difficulties with the censor. Some scenes and words were freely allowed in other films, but we were told to censor them in our movie. As a filmmaker, I know how sensitively certain things need to be presented. Laws should be applied equally to all films, but that’s not happening. Someone should question this. 23 attempts to raise such questions,” he added.