Director Gunasekhar's latest film Euphoria was released on February 6. While the film failed to make an impact at the box office, the filmmaker says it found a strong audience after its OTT release. "Though Euphoria didn't perform well theatrically, it became a huge success on OTT. I am still receiving calls from people who watched the film, and many have appreciated it," says Gunasekhar.
He shares that his experience motivated him to stay active and make films more consistently. "I am not stopping here. Euphoria has given me a lot of confidence. At the same time, it has also taught me several valuable lessons," he says. The director adds that he does not want to repeat the same mistake in the future. "I have now decided to collaborate with another producer. While they can focus on marketing and business aspects, I can concentrate on the creative side of filmmaking," he explains.
An undaunted Gunasekhar reveals that he currently has four stories ready and will make an announcement soon. "One of them already has a bound script and will definitely go on floors soon. I will announce the details in the coming days," he says. Speaking about his approach to storytelling, the filmmaker says that a director should never begin writing a story with a particular star in mind. "When you write a story for a specific hero, your focus can shift, and the narrative may move in a different direction. First, write the story honestly, then find the most suitable actor for it. Even while narrating, don't alter it by thinking about commercial elements," he says, adding that this approach has helped him taste some of his biggest successes. "That is how films like Okkadu and Choodalani Vundi worked so well, even though they starred major actors like Mahesh Babu and Chiranjeevi."
Recalling the origins of Okkadu, Gunasekhar shares an interesting anecdote. "When I was working as an assistant director in Chennai, we used to visit Charminar whenever we came to Hyderabad and have tea there. That's where the idea of a young man living around Charminar came to me. Later, I blended it with a faction backdrop, and Okkadu was born," he says, while being wary of the changing times and the need to adapt to the change. "Those days are gone. Now, I don't want to make films just for the sake of grandeur. I first look at the story and then decide what it requires."
The director also opens up about his long-delayed mythological project Hiranyakasipa, which was supposed to star Rana Daggubati. "I spent nearly seven years on that project. I worked extremely hard and visualised every scene in 3D. We partnered with Fox Star Studios, and they wanted every detail — from the screenplay to the shooting plan. I spent years developing the project, but then the pandemic happened, and everything got delayed," he recalls, and cites that the project came to a standstill due to the changes that happened in Fox Star Studios.
The filmmaker admits that losing seven years on the project was painful. "Director Trivikram Srinivas personally called me and expressed his interest in writing the dialogues for the film. I immediately agreed. That's how his name became associated with the project," says Gunasekhar, adding that the project would become redundant to restart the film as Mahavatar Narasimha, also based on the same mythology. "That film reportedly collected nearly ₹200 crore. I am happy that a story revolving around the same mythology eventually reached audiences, even if my version couldn't. When there were reports of Rana Daggubati wanting to revive Hiranyakasipa with Trivikram Srinivas, the director confirmed to me that it was not true."
Gunasekhar reveals that his habit of reading newspapers remains one of his biggest sources of inspiration for films. "I read nearly six newspapers every morning. Once you start reading regularly, you understand what is happening around you and often discover new story ideas," he says, and adds a promise that he will constantly make films. "I want to make one film every six months, which means I can direct two films a year. That's the plan I'm working towards."
Sharing his opinion on big-budget and small-budget films, Gunasekhar says the story should be the determining factor. "There is no such thing as a big film or a small film. The story should drive the film. After making Choodalani Vundi with Chiranjeevi garu, many expected me to do another big-star project. Instead, I made Manoharam because that was the story I wanted to tell." Gunasekhar also reflects on how Choodalani Vundi came about. "I spent nearly two years working on Ramayanam, which was made with child actors. During that period, I also wrote Choodalani Vundi. After Ramayanam was released, producer Ashwini Dutt garu asked me to develop a story for Chiranjeevi. Fortunately, I already had a bound script ready, and they liked it immediately," he recalls.
As he celebrates his birthday on June 2, the filmmaker says he is looking forward to the future with renewed optimism. "I usually don't celebrate my birthdays in a big way. But this year is special because Euphoria has received such a positive response on OTT. I simply want to share that happiness with everyone," he concludes.