HYDERABAD : If you have a taste for Telugu films that trod the path less taken, then you must have noticed Pareshan, a wacky comedy which came out last year, and Double Engine, Avanti Cinema’s latest offering, which released early this month. These films were produced by Vishwadev Rachakonda and his friend Siddharth Rallapalli of Waltair Productions. “We have been friends since class two” notes Vishwadev. What makes Vishwadev’s journey all the more interesting is the fact that he is also an actor. Post his debut in Pittagoda (2016), which also marked the debut of Jathi Ratnalu (2019) director Anudeep KV, Vishwadev has featured in a host of films, including Chalthe Chalthe (2018), Net (2021) and the upcoming crime comedy Kismat, which is scheduled to hit theatres on February 2. The actor-producer, who declares that his entry in the production space emerged out of a need to find better scripts for himself, but has been sustained over time by his own passion for cinema, talks to Cinema Express about his twin careers in the film industry and more.
First things first, how did you enter the film industry?
I am a Mechanical Engineering graduate, following which I was working in Pune and planning to go to the States for my Masters. It was during this time that I had gotten an opportunity to act in a film made by a banner that has produced films like Ashta Chamma (2008), Golconda High School (2011) and Uyyala Jampala (2013). This film turned out to be Anudeep KV’s Pittagoda. That is how my acting career started. But it is also incidentally where I learnt the ropes of production, unawares. I was not just an actor there. I participated actively behind the screen, from scripting to conducting auditions for other actors to post production. That has also helped, in a way. When I became a producer, my primary goal was to find stories for myself to act in. But we also eventually produced films that did not necessarily have a role for me, but were good projects nevertheless. Like Pareshan.
What did Pareshan teach you as a producer?
To Rupak’s (Ronaldson, Pareshan director) credit, what you see on the screen exactly matches the narration. Very little was lost in translation. The narration itself gave me so much calm, for me, it was artistry, life and cinema in the right blend. I did not think the film was as niche as people perceived it to be. Since we were first time producers, back then, we did not understand distribution very well. Release date windows are very crucial. Had we released Pareshan earlier, it would have been perceived very differently. But the film came out after Balagam, Dasara and Mem Famous, and a section of the audience slotted Pareshan as just another ‘Telangana’ film.
How did you stumble upon your second project Double Engine?
I have always been a fan of Rohit & Sasi’s works. I love how natural their filmmaking is. The beats of Double Engine, for instance, are so mellow and realistic, it is hard to believe it was scripted, staged or performed. For me, this is high-end craft.. As much as I admired their work, I was keen about certain things. Many of their previous works, be it Story Discussion, Sheesh Mahal or Nirudyoga Natulu, revolved around cinema. I did not want to produce something in the meta-cinema space. The duo pitched Double Engine to me while Pareshan was in post-production. Once I knew the film was not about cinema, I was ready to sign on. And when I found out Vivek Sagar was on board, I was sold.
To pick scripts like Pareshan and Double Engine, a producer needs to have a strong sensibility of their own. Where do those sensibilities come from, for you?
Rohit (Penumatsa, Director), famously likes to say I got it from my grandfather, who was a very famous writer (Rachakonda Viswanatha Sastry). But I don’t have much clue about that, to be honest. I would attribute my sensibilities to my school days, where I was actively involved in performance arts. That went well into my college days, where I was a part of a band that played classic rock and folk, called The Rubber Band. (Music composer) Sricharan Pakala was also a part of the band. There were no restrictions from my parents, nor my friends’ parents, so we all grew up to be free spirited. Also as an actor, you get to practice this feeling of staying blank. You can erase everything on your mind and approach something freshly, without any baggage. This perspective, which I gleaned from my career as an actor, also helps me choose scripts.
What other ways do you think being an actor helped your trajectory in production?
For starters, there is a more realistic understanding of how something narrated to you gets translated on sets and later, the screen. Let me tell you something interesting. It is a lot easier for an actor to try his hand in production than for a filmmaker to do the same. Directors have very strong and rigid opinions about how a scene should be filmed. They are compelled by their own agenda and working style. It overpowers a director’s ability to see what another director can bring to the table. Actors, in comparison, flow more freely. They want to work with everyone, explore all kinds of storytelling filmmakers of all walks have to offer. Actors also have the ability of absorbing and radiating influence. You have to mould yourself differently with each director. A combination of all these specific skills and observations help me as a producer.
Do you see yourself producing an out and out commercial film?
I do enjoy commercial cinema, especially the song-and-dance ones. But they are extremely hard to crack, be it with story, direction or final cut levels. Every ball must hit a six, the stakes are that high. The scale of a commercial film is also much higher than your middle-of-the-road or offbeat films, it is like comparing test cricket with 20-20. I am not saying that making the latter kind of films are easy but there are way too many factors and expectations to consider. I don’t see myself or Waltair walking down that path, at least for now. As an actor, I am game for all kinds of cinema, but as a producer, I am inclined towards films that are more stimulating, films that work in different levels of the mind and leave an impact.
What do you prefer more — acting or producing?
I identify as an actor first. The pull for being an actor is more, period
Could you speak about your future projects?
I am starring in the next two films my banner is producing. First up, we have 35, a family drama. It is the most expensive project we have mounted to date, and features a host of known faces. Niketh Bommi is the film’s DoP, while Vivek Sagar is composing the music. We are almost done with the film, we will make more announcements soon. 35 is also more mainstream than my previous films. Next up is Firestar, we are going on floors in a few weeks. I can’t say it is mainstream with full confidence, but nevertheless, it is a project close to my heart. Then I have Kismat and Neeli Meghashyam. The former is a crime comedy, the latter a romantic comedy.