“Romanchakam” Has Something for Both Youngsters and Families: Producer Pranay Reddy Vanga
Presented by director Sandeep Reddy Vanga and produced under the Bhadrakali Pictures banner, Romanchakam stars Sumanth Prabhas and Ananthika Sanilkumar in the lead roles. Produced by Pranay Reddy Vanga and directed by debutant Venugopal Reddy, the film promises a mix of romance, comedy, friendship and suspense. The youthful entertainer is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on September 3. Producer Pranay Reddy Vanga recently shared details about the film, its making and his upcoming projects.
How the project came together
We have never approached filmmaking with a very formal or corporate mindset. We don't have a fixed formula or a large team that decides what kind of films we should make. We have heard several stories in the past, but we moved on from them whenever they didn't connect with our sensibilities.
When Venugopal narrated Romanchakam, it felt different. The story had humour, suspense, friendship and plenty of entertaining situations. We felt there was something interesting in it and decided to make the film.
Venugopal has been associated with us for around three to four years, so we already knew his work and his approach. His narration gave us confidence. We initially asked him to shoot just one scene and show it to us. He executed it extremely well. That output gave us the confidence to hand over the entire film to him.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga and Venugopal are completely different filmmakers. Their approaches and styles are almost at opposite ends. But Venugopal found his own way of presenting this story, and that was one of the things we liked about him.
Romanchakam is primarily a character-driven story. Sumanth Prabhas' character is at the centre of the film. It looks at his life after engineering, the changes he goes through, his love story and the situations he faces along with his friends.
There is a lot happening throughout the film, but everything is presented in an entertaining way. The runtime is around 2 hours and 20 minutes, yet the film moves at a brisk pace. We have made sure there is no unnecessary drag or dull stretch.
Comedy comes naturally
I personally enjoy comedy films. If a comedy really works for me, I can even watch it multiple times. That's one reason I particularly enjoyed the humour in Romanchakam.
The comedy doesn't feel forced. The situations and the relationships between the four main characters naturally create the humour. Venugopal has understood those dynamics well, and the audience should be able to connect with them easily.
The music is another strong aspect of the film. Vasuki has integrated the songs and background score nicely into the narrative. Music has always been an important part of our films, and we believe Romanchakam will also leave a good impression in that department.
Sandeep did not interfere in the making
Once we decided to produce the film, Sandeep gave Venugopal complete freedom. He was occupied with Spirit and did not interfere with the day-to-day making of Romanchakam.
After the film was completed, Sandeep watched the first cut and was very happy with what he saw. That was a great confidence booster for the entire team.
The film has received a U/A certificate from the censor board. Families can watch it along with youngsters, and there is nothing that should make family audiences uncomfortable.
A director who stayed within the requirements
Venugopal has been very producer-friendly throughout the project. Even when we told him that we could increase the budget if something more was required, he was clear about working within the resources available to him.
He never demanded unnecessary expenditure. He understood the requirements, planned accordingly and completed the film within the budget we had allocated. That kind of approach is very valuable for a producer.
About censorship
Censorship works differently in different countries. In the US, industry-led systems are followed, while in India the process comes under the government framework.
Considering our traditions, culture and social environment, certain guidelines are naturally in place. From the government's perspective, those rules have their own justification. As filmmakers, it is important to understand the regulations beforehand and plan accordingly. The guidelines also evolve from time to time.
New talent with plenty of passion
Both Sumanth Prabhas and Ananthika Sanilkumar have performed very well. The actors playing their friends and the other important characters have also contributed strongly to the film.
Most of our technical team members are newcomers, but they brought tremendous enthusiasm to the project. We shot the film in Hyderabad and Chennai, with Hyderabad being the primary setting for the story.
Although the story is rooted in Hyderabad, we have kept the language and slang simple and relatable. It should feel natural rather than overly stylised, allowing audiences from different places to understand and enjoy it.
What is happening with Sandeep and Spirit?
Sandeep is always occupied with his work. After Animal, he did get some time to take a break, but his focus is now completely on Spirit.
We have listened to a couple of other stories recently, but they are still at the discussion and scripting stage. Right now, our entire concentration is on completing Spirit. Once that is done, we will decide what comes next.
Around 40 percent of Spirit has been completed so far, and Prabhas has already worked on the film for about 40 days. Our association with T-Series has been very positive. They are wonderful people, and there is a strong level of trust between both teams.
Ten years of Arjun Reddy
Next year will mark 10 years since the release of Arjun Reddy. We are planning something special for the occasion. We are looking at re-releasing the film with some additional scenes.
It will be a memorable milestone for everyone associated with the film, so we want to make the re-release meaningful for the audience.
More films in the future
Our immediate priority is Spirit. But that doesn't mean we won't explore other stories. If we come across scripts that genuinely excite us, especially interesting small-budget concepts, we are open to producing them.
For us, the story has always been the starting point. If a script connects with us and we feel it deserves to be made, we will definitely consider taking it forward.
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