Twelve years after Shruti Naidu started her journey as a producer for daily soaps, it was Ramesh Indra’s story that caught her attention. “Somewhere along the way, monotony set in. At the time, I felt I was reaching a saturation point, which is when my friends encouraged me to produce films. However, I was not happy with what filmmakers have been going through. But when Ramesh Indra brought the script of Premier Padmini to my notice and when he told me the story, I connected with it, and decided to take the plunge,” says Shruti.
Being a family-oriented film that’s relevant to today’s times, Shruti feels that the audience will be able to connect with it. “Moreover, it didn’t involve too much of money, and didn’t require huge sets, stunts and extravagant song sequences. It only depended on a well-planned schedule and fine acting,” she says.
Over the years, Shruti has realised the marker. “The regional business is very small, and I was unsure about the investments. We have our own limitations. Unlike Bollywood, the syndication with a film is done mainly with people putting in shares and companies joining hands, which is not the case in our industry. I am an individual producer for this film,” she explains.
Premier Padmini explores the mindset of the person who owns the car, a character played by Jaggesh and playing the driver’s role is Pramod. The film also features Sudharani and Madhoo. According to Shruti, they portray today’s woman -- independent women living alone and single mothers.
“The dynamics of relationships today has changed. You never know why you are close to a person, and many of these relationships don’t have a name. In the film we focus on middle-aged strong women, who are portrayed by Madhoo and Sudharani. The film also features Vivek Simha and Hitha Chandrashekar, who represent the younger generation of today,” she says.
Shruti is hoping for a good beginning with Premier Padmini, as she wants to produce projects that will bring viewers to theatres. “With digital platforms like Amazon and Netflix coming into the picture, people don’t find it necessary to go to theatres at all.
Now, the onus of bringing them out for cinema is on us. Premier Padmini is a stepping stone, and I hope the film clicks,” she says, adding, “Having been well-accepted on the small screen, I expect the same kind of love from my new section of viewers. Since I understand the pulse of the household, I want to highlight family value through my films too,” she says.