Director Teja’s life story is an inspiring tale of beating the odds.
Losing his parents as a little boy, Teja was compelled to take up work at the age of eight. He started by doing odd jobs at film sets in Kodambakkam, slowly climbing her career ladder one rung at a time.
Starting as a cinematographer under director Ram Gopal Varma with the film Raat, Teja and his camera became inseparable with subsequent films. Hopping over to Bollywood he worked in blockbusters including Ghulam, Sangharsh and Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hain.
A self-taught filmmaker, Teja turned director with Chitram and is known for hit films including the Nandi Award-winning Nuvvu Nenu and Jayam (which was remade in Tamil).
Teja spoke to Gulf News tabloid! about Nene Raju Nene Mantri, releasing in the UAE on August 10.
What is NRNM about?
I believe that everyone is a good person when born. It’s the situations around him that makes a person bad. My film explores the human psyche under some situations. The film traces the journey of Joginder who from a village Panchayat President becomes a local MLA, then a Minister and aspires to become the [Chief Minister]. I show two sides of the human being, his love for his family and his political side.
How was it working with Rana Daggubati?
I don’t write scripts to suit an actor’s image. Rana was apt for Joginder’s role. We worked for eight months together during the scripting stage and developed the role. He is a passionate actor who is always thinking of his character. Working with him was comfortable. He is a down-to-earth person and was cool about any number of retakes.
Catherine Tresa is smoking a cigarette in the trailer. What’s her role?
She is Devika Rani, a media baron. I can’t reveal more. It’s a significant role.
There are references to legendary actor M. G. Ramachandran [known as MGR], seen in the look of Joginder and in the song, ‘Pachaikili Muthucharam.’ What’s the connection?
I am an admirer of MGR having grown up in Chennai. I wanted Joginder to dress like MGR and have included some traits of MGR in Joginder’s life. In fact I have watched MGR and Sivaji while working on film units in my young days.
How do you cope when a film fails?
I have been in the field since the age of eight doing odd jobs for a living. I used to sleep on the streets of Pondy Bazaar and walk to Kodambakkam for work on the sets. Those days I dreamt of buying a bicycle someday to avoid the walking.
I learned by observing everything and assisting in different departments.
When my film flops I revisit Pondy Bazaar and sit on the streets for a while. That gives me the strength to move on.
Nene Raju Nene Mantri is also made in Tamil as Naan Aanaiyittal, and dubbed into Malayalam as Raja Kireedam. The film also features Kajal Aggarwal, Nasser, Navdeep and Mayilsamy.
