Mahesh Kumar is on cloud nine these days, for he has not only received an award as best debutant director for Ayogya at the recently-held SIIMA awards but has also got an opportunity to direct a film that will have a pan-India presence.
The movie will be made by Sony Pictures in collaboration with Vishnu Induri, the founder of SIIMA, who is creating a platform for young talents and award winners have asked them to come up with a subject and the lead cast from their respective regions.
The other debutant directors include Ajay Bhupathi from Telugu, Nelson from Tamil, and Zakariya Mohammed from Malayalam. An elated Mahesh, said, “It is an unexpected announcement, which I cherish. For a newcomer, getting a film like Ayogya, which was a hit at the box office, and bagging an award, bring a huge surprise. The bigger trophy is this project. The first round of discussions happened at Qatar, where the award function was held, where I met people from Sony Pictures and the team from Vishnu Induri. I have accepted the offer,” Mahesh said, adding that he has a genre in mind, which will suit the current trend and a subject that will suit all languages. The director is also planning to bring in one of the top Sandalwood stars for the film. “However, the decision about who will play the hero will be taken later, depending on their commitment to the project, and other factors,” he added.
However, Mahesh is clear that he is going to take the project forward only after completing MadaGaja, a film produced by Umapathy that stars Sriimurali. “This will take off in September, and I am hoping to finish it by February. It’s only after this that I will concentrate on taking up my next film,” Mahesh said.