“Dhandoraa Will Leave Audiences with a Powerful, Uplifting Experience – Director MuraliKanth
After delivering distinctive films like Colour Photo and the blockbuster Bedurulanka 2012, Loukya Entertainments head Ravindra Banerjee Muppaneni returns with Dhandoraa, directed by MuraliKanth. The film stars Shivaji in a key role, along with Navdeep, Nandu, Ravi Krishna, Manika Chikkala, Mounika Reddy, Bindu Madhavi, Radhya, and Aditi Bhavaraju.
Scheduled for a grand theatrical release on December 25, Dhandoraa is a rural drama set in a Telangana village. The story explores the social, emotional, and political tensions that arise before a cremation, focusing on issues of caste, dignity, and power that persist even after death. As part of the promotions, director MuraliKanth spoke to the media about the journey and vision behind the film.
Why did you choose this story?
MuraliKanth says cinema was always his true calling. Though he worked with TCS in the US, the job never fulfilled him creatively. After attending filmmaking workshops, he quit his job and returned to India to pursue cinema seriously.
He explains that he is more comfortable telling rooted, real stories than love stories. Influenced by writers like Kesava Reddy, Yandamoori Veerendranath, and K. Bala Gopal, he felt drawn to narrating stories from Telangana that many people are unaware of. That led him to explore the politics and emotions surrounding cremation in rural areas.
How did you research the film’s world?
The director says the incidents shown in Dhandoraa are based on real experiences. He recalls witnessing how burial grounds are segregated by caste in villages, a reality that deeply disturbed him. Films like Thithi and Ee.Ma.Yau, which handle death with sensitivity and depth, further inspired him.
How is Dhandoraa different from Balagam?
MuraliKanth clarifies that while Balagam focuses on events after a cremation, Dhandoraa is about what happens before it. The film follows the conflicts, questions, and resistance that arise when a person’s body must be cremated, and why these issues exist at all.
Who is the central character?
Shivaji’s character forms the backbone of the story, but every character is closely connected to him. It is not an anthology; Dhandoraa is a single, continuous narrative set within one village.
What about the women characters?
The director highlights that women play powerful and decisive roles in the film. Bindu Madhavi’s character, in particular, will surprise audiences. MuraliKanth says his writing naturally reflects the strong women he has grown up with, and in Dhandoraa, many key turns in the story are driven by female characters.
Do caste issues still exist today?
Absolutely, says MuraliKanth. He adds that discrimination continues even in death, despite laws and government initiatives. Dhandoraa does not offer an easy solution but honestly reflects reality and invites audiences to think and respond.
How did the producer come on board?
After facing rejections from several producers, MuraliKanth approached Ravindra Banerjee Muppaneni, impressed by his sensibility in Colour Photo. The producer connected instantly with the story and insisted on making the film with proper scale and quality, supporting the director at every stage.
Your experience as a first-time director?
Having never worked as an assistant director, MuraliKanth admits the first few days on set were challenging. However, once the team saw the early output, confidence grew. The first schedule itself was completed in 18 days.
How did the title Dhandoraa come about?
The film was initially titled Anthima Yatra, but it didn’t feel impactful. When the word Dhandoraa was suggested, both the director and producer felt it perfectly matched the film’s energy and theme.
What can audiences expect?
MuraliKanth says viewers may come with assumptions based on the title, but the film will surprise them. With Mark K. Robin’s powerful background score and a strong emotional screenplay, Dhandoraa promises a moving experience.
Audiences will walk out of the theatre carrying a lasting emotional feeling, the director concludes.
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