The most striking feature of Vinay Vasudev’s directorial debut, D also called as Dee, is undoubtedly its short and striking title. But it’s not just a random letter—it holds personal and creative significance.
“There are three main reasons for naming our film D,” Vinay explains. “One is my admiration for actor Kichcha Sudeep, and the other two are our teachers—both have the letter 'D' in their names. Even the lead characters are named Deepak and Divya, played by me and Disha Ramesh. That’s why we named it D."
Vinay, who holds an MSc in Psychology, not only directed the film but also played the lead role. Without any formal background in filmmaking, he found his inspiration in the novels of Poornachandra Tejaswi.
“I was a top student in school and college. But when I was pursuing my PhD, I came across Tejaswi’s books. They made me rethink everything. I left academics to follow my passion for cinema,” he shares.
Eighty per cent of the film was shot in a forest, where a young couple goes on a vacation. The protagonist is an animal psychologist, while his mother is a clinical psychologist.
“It’s about the mind and how it works. My psychology studies helped me write the script,” says Vinay. An unexpected incident sets the plot in motion, creating a strong emotional undercurrent.
“I always wanted to direct, but after COVID, my producers backed out. I had to sell my hotel and invest my own money. Friends came forward to support the film. I also used to perform street plays, and that experience helped me act. I had to take on double responsibility,” he reveals.
The film’s standout feature is its use of CG animation. “There’s a fight between the hero and a bear, and the animation was created in Uzbekistan and rendered in the US. It took 10 months. We’ve used many animals in CG for this adventure thriller,” Vinay says.
Made under the VDK Cinemas banner, the film also stars Harini Srikanth, Nagendra Aras, Dolla Sharan, and Kalarathi Mahadev. With Allen Bharat as the cinematographer, Siddharth R. Nayak as editor, and music by UM Steven Satish, D is set to release on May 16 across Karnataka, and will be distributed by Vijay Films.