From Okkadu, Arundati To Yashoda; One Man Behind the Lavish Sets

The movies where filmmakers recreate eras and specific events by building lavish sets in meticulous detail had always left an indelible mark in history. The sets become memorable especially if taken in exotic or fantastic environments and locations. Leading art director Ashok Koralath is eminently known for his Okkadu’s Charminar and Arundathi’s magnificent sets.

Ashok once again grabbed headlines for his lavish set in Samantha starrer Yashoda, where he built a set that replicated a star hotel. The thriller by Hari and Harish was earlier on news for its extravaganza set, reportedly worth Rs 3 crore. The new-age thriller’s grand set is similar to a seven-star hotel and labourers have put sedulous efforts into giving a finishing touch to the set. The most important scenes for the film are being shot there.

The makers have reportedly visited several 50 star hotels across South India. They have decided to build sets similar to them instead of shooting for two months at a hotel, which is difficult. And Ashok made it happen effortlessly by building sets in the outskirts of Hyderabad. For the hotel look, the interiors have been custom made and worked for two months with more than 200 people. Ashok sees the sets as a strong character in the story and Sam was also impressed with the detailing.

Ashok has worked in more than 100 films in several languages. And this leaves fans impatient to witness the impeccability of scenes shot there. Yashoda is being helmed by the director duo Hari-Harish. It is being touted as a new-age multilingual thriller. The film is bankrolled by senior producer Sivalenka Krishna Prasad under Sridevi Movies banner on a grand scale. Yashoda will be released in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam. The shooting of the movie began on December 6, 2021.