Kuberaa director Sekhar Kammula: The multi-language and pan-Indian release was not a marketing ploy

It’s been a couple of weeks since the release of director Sekhar Kammula’s Kuberaa, a film which was released both in Tamil and Telugu. Starring Dhanush, Nagarjuna, Rashmika Mandanna and Jim Sarbh among others, the film explores the cat-and-mouse chase between a beggar and man who has been sold to the capitalist world and trying to orchestrate a financial scam.

Speaking about his state of mind, Sekhar Kammula says, “It’s been some good days so far, and for the pan-Indian audience, Kuberaa is a different film altogether that they haven’t seen. Even for Telugu audience, it is story that they have not seen. In Telugu, it is a good hit and I am waiting to hear better reports in Tamil through word of mouth.”

Sekhar Kammula Interview on Kuberaa:

Sekhar Kammula who strongly believes that filmmaking is more of an artform than business, talks about the conflict he faces within oneself while operating within the entertainment industry. “It has been a conscious decision that I have been doing this. Thankfully, the audience gave me the space. It is my 25th year and my 10th film and I have been blessed for the audience to accepted me in that space in which I tell my stories in true form without the masala elements, and commercial stereotypes. I restrain myself from doing it, and the expectations from me is also the same.”

The director said that though he is known for films like Happy Days, he adds that he makes sure that his films work commercially. Sekhar Kammula mentions that he threads the path which made his films were not “commercial failure”. “With Kuberaa too, it is a big-scale and star ensemble film, so we wanted to go pan-Indian to get a wider audience. I spend a lot of time to work on the story and it has to be a good enough story to be told. That takes a lot of time, say 6-7 months to choose a point.”

Also read: Kuberaa: When Sekhar Kammula prefers Deva over Dhanush, the thriller drama almost falls in place

In Kuberaa, Sekhar Kammula strips off his star-studded cast from the stardom that we see Dhanush, Nagarjuna, Rashmika as only Deva, Deepak and Sameera respectively. The director says that he stays true to story and that is what happens with the narration too. “That is how I went ahead with Dhanush, and he instantly accepted. I present them with the story, and they gave me the full freedom by surrendering themselves. It was a conscious decision that the beggar is helpless throughout the film.”

‘I could not see anyone but Dhanush play the role’

With Kuberaa, Sekhar finished the second half, and then pitched to Dhanush, and once the actor okayed, the last act was written. “I could not see anyone else but Dhanush playing this role, and so it is for Nagarjuna. I wanted the story to be the hero, and Dhanush as protagonist.” The director also praises Dhanush’s performance as being top-notch, and that he was in awe of him. “I think it is a prideful moment, and I hope it catches on in Tamil.”

Also read: Kuberaa OTT release date: When, where to watch Dhanush, Nagarjuna's film online

Further exploring the characterisations and how Nagarjuna’s character falls into the grey shade, the director said that it is where the challenge lays. “When Jim Sarbh represents the richest of the rich and Dhanush is poorest of the poor, Nagarjuna represents the middle-class. Lot of times, it is the middle class that go through the grey shades, for their instant gratification, sometimes pray for repentance. This kind of life is choosing convenient path for life. That is the reality which I tried to represent,” he adds.

Had Kuberaa been different if the film had a Telugu hero, Sekhar Kammula says that this wouldn’t have been in any other way. “The multi-language and pan-Indian thing were not planned or was a marketing ploy. I have a comfortable space in Telugu, and this was very organic in the way the film’s casting and making is. Capitalism is throughout the world, and with the universal thought, language is not a barrier.”

On his next, Sekhar Kammula says he takes time to unwind from project to project, as he is waiting to hear the film pick up in Tamil. “We have shot in two languages, and because of some miscommunication, some assume it is a dubbed film.