As a leading man, Vishwadev Rachakonda burst onto the scene with KV Anudeep’s Pittagoda in the last quarter of 2016 but the film’s uninspiring box office performance meant he had to wait for his moment in the sun. While it did take a long time, as he dabbled in production with Paresan, did a web film Net, a feature film Kismat, he couldn’t have been happier right now with the appreciation and encomiums he’s getting for his consummate turn as a humble and yet worried father Prasad in 35: Chinna Katha Kaadu (35: CKK), which released in theatres last week. In a conversation with idlebrain.com, he admits he’s feeling on top of the world. “Absolutely. I saw some signs of success. The minute the script came to me and when I spent some time with the director… I felt something good was destined to happen. But then there were fears as well. I was like, ‘Will the ending be sad? How can so many good things align?’ When we saw the edit of 35: CKK, the first cut and the trailer, everything was good. I was again like, ‘It can’t be so good all of a sudden.’ When nothing worked out in the past and then suddenly things started to fall in place one by one, it felt a bit unbelievable. On the release day, I was scared. I was sure new-age reviewers will give it a thumbs-up but felt there will be other reviewers who will dismiss it as utter trash. But luckily when it opened to unanimous positive reviews, I heaved a huge sigh of relief, telling myself that one aspect has been successfully navigated. It was followed by extremely strong word-of-mouth. And the numbers have been growing every day. I’m going to see how much it will grow until Devara opens,” the actor begins gleefully.
Presently, the actor is touring parts of AP and is celebrating the success with the audience. “We are constantly looking forward to seeing what happens tomorrow, day after and where the film will go. I’m unable to manage my phone battery. The best part is I’m receiving calls from different sections of people. My classmates from childhood are ringing me and singing paeans about the film and my performance. It never happened with my previous releases. Oh yeah, there are a lot of thank you messages as well for making this film,” he smiles.
The feedback from the audience has been something which is warming his heart. “I’ve been literally flooded with love letters. I have 11 unbelievable messages from random people. Some people are writing essays. Ramaraju, a senior citizen, comparing the film to Saptapadi, said, ‘Way back when I was a kid I saw such a pure bliss-filled character like Prasad in Saptapadi, Mutyala Muggu and Gorantha Deepam’. He raved about the performances of other characters as well, while adding that Prasad in particular struck a chord with him for his innocence and dialogue delivery. It is one sample of many such messages. As an actor I have not failed so far, which is why directors continued to cast me in their films,” Vishwadev notes with a sense of pride, adding that he cherishes the compliment that victory Venkatesh, his favourite actor, gave to him after catching the film. “He said, ‘What you did on screen was difficult to do man’. I was on cloud nine that day. I had to share what he told me to my close associates immediately.”
The suave actor now understands that it is important to consolidate on this success and associate with good content moving forward. “I’ve featured in scripts that had potential but I always had some doubts. Honestly speaking, 35: CKK is the first script I felt was perfect and would do well in theatres if executed well. Up next, I will be cautious with the kind of scripts I want to choose. The way we did 35–with high passion and with an extreme level of understanding among the team– I want to emulate that. With 35, I’ve realized that only if you put your heart and soul into a movie, it will be embraced by the audience. With the kind of content that’s available on the internet and on streaming platforms, you have to be accurate. The stakes are very high for a pure content film. If you have to make 100 decisions for a content-driven film, you have to get 90 right. An average big film has more saleability but with a content-driven film, you have to be accurate and make it work. There are no two ways about it. Take your time but do it perfectly,” he points out in a firm and grounded voice.
As far as his next assignments go, he has finished a couple of projects as a solo lead. While one is titled Neeli Megha Shyama, the other is still-untitled. “The former is an easy breezy rom-com. It was intended as an OTT film but the makers decided to opt for a theatrical release after 35: CKK. The latter is a Waltair Production (his home production). Its content is something that Tollywood hasn’t seen before– genre-wise, treatment-wise and dialogue-wise. It’s a dark comedy/ psychological thriller. Shashank is debuting as a director. It’s in post-production right now. Its certainty not a chinna katha,” he ends, smiling.
-NAGARAJ GOUD
#35ChinnaKathaKaadu is a sincere and impactful film that parents and children alike should watch. It’s an honest critique of some fundamental aspects of our education system, with Nivetha Thomas delivering a standout performance. The kids in the film are charming, and the music… https://t.co/gXRLN0DRws
