Exclusive! #69 Sanskar Colony director P Suneel Kumar Reddy: I want my films to feel like a slap that awakens audiences

Director P Suneel Kumar Reddy, the brain behind several acclaimed films like Hero, Sontha Vooru, Gangaputhrulu, Oka Romantic Crime Katha, Valasa, is back with a new film, #69 Sanskar Colony, that sheds a light on another dark facet to our society. The film explores the irony of relationships losing their meaning in an era of communication, where we have every possible gadget to remain connected. 

He says people staying under the same roof too hardly vocalise their thoughts with one another and it has a drastic impact on their relationship. #69 Sanskar Colony, starring Ester Noronha, Rishwith Thimmaraju and Ajay, which hits theatres today, is no hunky-dory story. In a chat with OTTplay.com, he discusses his intent behind the film and how he values his middle-class mindset as a filmmaker.

Childhood years and evolution as a writer

I was a film-buff right from childhood. I spent most of my student life in Sompeta, Srikakulam, where I got acquainted with the day-to-day issues that Gangaputhrulu, the fishing community in the region, faced. The Communist movement significantly shaped my outlook towards society and I was drawn towards the thoughts of the radicals, who also channelised the poet within me. I later began to write plays as well. 

I gradually realised that art could be a great tool to drive change. During my school years, I ran a hand-written newsletter/journal and circulated it among my classmates. Later, some suggested I submit a copy of the same to the school library as well. I used a stencil and cyclostyled-it and came up with about 15-20 copies of the journal every time. My article first got published in the vernacular newspaper, Andhra Jyothy, and I got Rs 25 as an appreciatory gesture.

I consider myself as an average student - I was neither a backbencher nor a studious front-seat student. My lifestyle was largely middle-class and I feel that's my asset as a filmmaker even today. The viewer and the reader in me are still intact (even though I'm a filmmaker and an editor) and I think of it as an achievement because it helps me retain my innocence, ignorance and also evolve with the times. I never compromised on little pleasures in life and eating masala dosa at a favourite joint can also bring me happiness. I consider it a gift.

Widening his horizons and getting a larger perspective of the world

Over time, I had this desire to maximise the number of people that my thought would reach out to. That's how an artist evolves in life and I had an interest in running a newspaper, teaching people and effectively influencing people. My father worked in the state education apartment and I was always inclined towards teaching. My parents wanted me to either be a doctor or an engineer, I had to choose the latter. I was a victim of the times. 

I managed to complete my engineering, handed over the certificate to my mother and strictly told her that I had no interest to do a job that had to do anything with my engineering qualification. The word 'mechanical' in 'mechanical engineering' itself irritated me and it was against my idea of life. I later started teaching, even ran an institute and moved to Delhi to prepare for Civil Services where I had to come to terms with my ignorance. 

We spend our formative years in our comfort zone, where everything is within our grips. Only when you go to another (and a bigger) place, will you realise your insignificance. Exploring your insignificance makes you strive for more and the little traces of arrogance in you also vanish immediately. It took me time to understand the privilege of being born in a country with such great cultural diversity. I extensively travelled across the country, made friends with people from many states - it was my greatest educative tool.

Journalism paving way to cinema

After a few such experiences with the outside world, I was confident that I had gained reasonable worldly wisdom to understand the larger picture of society. I founded an entertainment magazine, later a newspaper daily but I was hungry for more and widen my horizons. I thought fiction with an element of drama could be an effective storytelling medium to put forward a thought, bring about a change than making documentaries about issues. 

I wanted to continue as a journalist using cinema as a tool. Even today, I am a journalist first, that's where my roots lie. It's the reason why I've been able to make socially conscious films like Valasa, Gulf, Gangaputhrulu. Whenever media interacts with me, they always ask me what topic am I exploring next? I think a story is an excuse to discuss an issue, a knot to tell what you want to. 

My job is to initiate a discussion and conversation and not pass judgements. Even for an antagonist, I try to understand his motive from his perspective and attain some social balance in this aspect. Filmmaking is a risky business and you need to maintain a balance between commerce and visual aesthetics. It's a tightrope walk and I've failed, succeeded many times while making 25 films in 21 years. 

Unfettered by the risks of being in an industry with very little success rate

I was sure about the industry dynamics and being a mathematics student, I was aware I could fail in 9 out of my 10 attempts. I came prepared for it and always knew success wouldn't come easily. I never believe in luck and I only told my team that we should make about 10 films, try to break even and if we managed that, we could consider ourselves seasoned. Every film, I was prepared to take a blow. Once a film's production is done, I always keep readying my resources for the next film. If at all I wanted to quit the industry, I wanted to make that student and not let someone else dictate terms. When I'm trying to mirror the stench in society, don't blame me because it stinks. 

What changed with Oka Romantic Crime Katha, easily the biggest commercial success in your career?

With Oka Romantic Crime Katha, I was as confident about the film as I was in the case of Sontha Vooru or a Gangaputhrulu. After the release of Oka Romantic Crime Katha and its tremendous run at the theatres, I tried to analyse why the film fared much better than all my films at the box office. It made me realise the impact that a target audience can have on a film. With Oka Romantic Crime Katha, the story resonated with 18-30-year-old men and women. 

My other critically acclaimed films like Valasa, Gulf were equally well thought out but it was meant for a crowd that has seen a lot in life. Unfortunately, such an audience doesn't head to the theatres as much as youngsters. The challenge lies in choosing a theme relevant for today's audience, even #69 Sanskar Colony is a film that is sure to strike a chord with youngsters. This crowd may take time to warm up to my other efforts a decade later probably.

For making a contemporary film like #69 Sanskar Colony, I always thank those who came forward to share their experiences, problems and their views of society with me. Even Gangaputhrulu, the fishermen community considered me one among them and discussed their issues openly. The trust grew to a level that I was appointed as a person in a state-wide meeting to discuss issues about the fishermen community. Representing them on that forum was an honour and they felt I genuinely understood their problem, treat us like family even today.

Contemporary issues keep changing from time and time and as a filmmaker, I must be able to grasp that. Acknowledged or not, I'm happy that the subject of Oka Romantic Crime Katha, after a decade, is equally relevant to audiences today. Criminal Prema Katha too shed light on domestic abuse. The main criticism I've faced from media is for my rugged approach to storytelling. I want my films to feel like a slap and be direct. 

This is a time when we have top-notch gadgets for communication but the travesty is that people in the same home have stopped communicating with one another. I want to take the lid off such issues and I've made a trilogy out of it. Every two years, I want to come up with a contemporary story about the youth and talk about an issue that they're hesitant to talk about. 

On the criticism that his films have been voyeuristic lately

Everyone is free to have their opinion. My attempt through those films is not to take a side and rather open a window of the next room and peep inside. With an autopsy, one can't be hesitant about probing deep into a casualty's body. In terms of drawing a line on an approach to a particular issue, I always think like an ordinary viewer first. To make sure I'm not stuck in the 70s or 80s, I interact with youngsters regularly and want my team to be young as well. I go to engineering colleges and ask students about the issues that need to be discussed in mainstream media. How many days will we hear hunky-dory stories about NRI returning to the country and finding a job?

The intent behind #69 Sanskar Colony

#69 Sanskar Colony is also about an issue that is conveniently being brushed under the carpet and is a hard-hitting take on a sensitive issue. It tells how relationships are crumbling in the era of communication where they're supposed to be strengthened (with greater communication). It's an open discussion about contemporary society and it's a bold film - no doubts there! The film is certified for adults and I strongly advise only them to watch it. Don't blame a filmmaker later that such a film is having a negative effect on kids. It's not made for them.

Making female actors understand the thin line between conveying thought and objectification

It's not easy at all and most of my films have strong female characters. In mainstream cinema, the male gaze doesn't exactly let a woman's viewpoint come to the fore. I always want their say in moulding a character. For instance in Oka Romantic Crime Katha, I had a 20-year-old female editor and a female associate director so that not a single second in the film is undone by the male gaze. Even one wrong stare from a character towards a woman can change the essence of what I'm trying to tell. I would always want someone from the target audience within my team. 

Swathi, the story writer of #69 Sanskar Colony, has also assisted me on the film and I wanted her presence on the set so that the artiste feels comfortable. Shooting a romantic film is as unromantic as it can be. Filmmaking is not as easy as audiences perceive and I seek authenticity in the characterisation, audiences should empathise with the roles. I always ask my actors to be unapologetic and embrace it fully, not judge it. That's something the audience would take care of.

Vaishali, the character played by Ester Noronha in the film, is a woman who's a fantasy for the majority of young men. She is an embodiment of male desire. A man is a hunter, he always searches for his suitable partner. In a society, monogamy exists because of social distribution. Otherwise, given a chance, every man is a hunter. Vaishali is a vehicle through which I discuss a gamut of issues.

On retaining the innocence, integrity in him despite the brutal ways of the industry

When I feel that I have lost my honesty in storytelling, I would rather quit the industry. I don't want to do something that I may not appreciate. I am constantly evolving with every film. If I am learning something new with every film, I think I'm in the right job. If I'm vomiting only what I know and rehashing my ideas with every film, there's no meaning to it. While making #69 Sanskar Colony, I became a better human being. If not, I think I have wasted 6-12 months of my precious life. I don't mind telling people if I'm unaware of anything and I'm always ready to learn. For Gulf, I went to 9 countries for my research and that's the most exciting part of my profession. I even lived amidst labour camps among labourers claiming I came there for mason work. Staying with them, listening to their experiences, I made most of the anonymity.