Virata Parvam Is My First Love Story: Rana

Virata Parvam is the next big release. The film starring Rana and Sai Pallavi is slated for release on 17th of this month. The team, in the meantime, is promoting the movie aggressively. Ahead of the release, Rana participated in Q&A session with scribes. Excerpts from the interview.

How does it feel to come from the world of Aranya to Virata Parvam?
It seems there’s some connection between me and the forests. I had been mostly shooting in jungle for last four years. Coming to Virata Parvam, it has 90s backdrop. The atmosphere and circumstances during the Naxalite Movement was shown very realistically. This is the first time; I did a love story. It’s an extremely deep love. It shows what sacrifices Vennela does for her love. It had great impact on me. We rarely feel heaviness, when we listen to a story. The extreme heavy feel was there. I never heard such story.

How love happens to Ravanna who is in the movement?
Naxals actually leave everything behind and fight for the society. Ravanna doesn’t really have personal agenda, until she enters his life.

What’s the impact of Naxals on you?
Recreating time is possible only with cinema. We only know the top news that we read in papers or watch in news. But we don’t know their lifestyle- where they stay and what kind of a life they lead in the forest. Virata Parvam doesn’t discuss much about the backstories of naxals. Ravanna’s backdrop will also be revealed through the discussion between different characters. It’s the love story that takes over everything.

There’s inspiration for Vennela’s character? What’s the inspiration for Ravanna’s character?
Ravanna’s is not an original character. We took different inspiration, including that of Che Guevara etc. Ravanna was a doctor by profession. He became a poet and eventually became a Naxalite, due to social injustice.

Will this generation connect to the story of Naxal backdrop?
We are happy today because we don’t have such problems now. There’s no social injustice that’s there at that time. The audience, however, will feel thrilled to see the hazardous elements in the love story.

What’s the justification to Virata Parvam title?
Virata Parvam is the story of Pandavas exile in epic Mahabharata. In the film Virata Parvam, there is a similar anonymous war.

How did you balance the two characteristics as a lover and a Naxalite?
This is not a regular love story that has romantic melodies between the lead couple. Ravanna’s character is very intense. It has strong emotions. The entire movie has moral dilemma.

Why aren’t you going for Pan India release?
Some stories are to be told in Telugu only. We didn’t have Pan India thoughts, when we started Virata Parvam. It’s the story about one region. It has its own literature. Basically, Veny Udugula is a good poet. This poetry may not connect to people of other languge. But we are dubbing it in Malayalam, Bengal and Hindi.

Why did you take such long gap?
I had an health issue, then covid came, when I started shooting for my movies. Virata Parvam is not a kind of movie to be shot in sets. After things have come to normalcy, we went back to forests to wrap up the shoot. We’re coming on June 17th. Fortunately, we won’t have big competition for 2 to 3 weeks.

How crucial is Sai Pallavi’s character?
We knew Sai Pallavi is a great actor. Virata Parvam is bigger than all of her previous movies. It’s a much deeper film. The movie is centered around her character. We hinted the same in trailer. Although we can find replacement for Ravanna character, there’s no option, other than Sai Pallavi for Vennela character. It’s that deep and that intense character. She’s a very pure person by heart.

Will the love story connect in such serious tone?
There is a certain commercial tone to some films. There’s certain real tone to some other films. I don’t know whether you will blow whizzles or clap, but you’ll get scared, because this is such an honest story.

Is it right time for Virata Parvam to come in present trend?
This is the perfect time for Virat Parvan. The real cinematic experience can be felt, only when we come out of world and stay for long time in other world. Virata Parvam is a movie with such an experience. It’s completely new. Usually, love stories go smoothly. But this love is very frightening.

When will you become a full time producer?
I want to do movies with honesty in story-narration. After Bommalata, C/O Kancharapalem, Charlie, my name will appear as the producer in Virata Parvam. Amar Chitra Katha is also in development stages.

What’s the response for Virata Parvam preview shows?
It’s got very positive response. All those who watched the movie are appreciating it.