HYDERABAD: With Telugu web series being rolled out with almost as much effort and promotion as for movies, a new series on the block is turning heads for its raw approach. Gods of Dharmapuri, starring Satya Dev and Chandini Chowdary released this weekend and has been getting rave reviews on social media particularly for its writing.
On the writing team credited for additional screenplay is one of the only author-turned-screenwriters in the industry currently, KV Aditya says it was quite a switch creatively. The author of the book, Daitya Diaries, Aditya has a knack for mythological fantasy. However Gods of Dharmapuri brought him a new challenge. “As a writer I can let my imagination fly. Everything that happens in the story I write has no limitations. When it comes to writing for the screens, I have to keep in mind how the production can bring it to life. I will be working with a budget and will have to keep that business aspect in mind,” says Aditya who is also working on a cinema script.
Gods of Dharmapuri or GOD which is being streamed on Zee5 is a political drama that tells the story of mining mafia during the 1960s. Aditya shares that the series rides heavily on the family drama that shines in the show. “Although my contribution in the writing department was only during the pre-production period, it is heartening to see how well it has been received since its release,” he says. He also adds pointing out what he found interesting about screenwriting in comparision to to writing a book, “Screenwriting in comparision to books has is dialogue-heavy. Whereas books need me to be as descriptive as possible and create an environment all through words as there is no supporting visual. It’s great that screenwriting gives me a path and direction in which to work.”
A writer of fantasy, Aditya is thrilled with the potential that Telugu web is showing. “Telugu web entertainment has not completely explored, mythology, costume drama or fantasy yet. But seeing GOD and the other series that are rolling out, our media is in the precipice of exploring new horizons in terms of genre. I am glad to be a part of this field at this point,” he says. KV Aditya is currently writing a counter-terrorism related web series and is waiting on a publishing deal for a new book.
— Srividya Palaparthi
srividya.palaparthi@newindianexpress.com
@PSrividya53