Exclusive: Legendary Telugu writer Gopichand's novel to be adapted into a bilingual film

Looks like the era of popular novels being adapted into films is returning to Telugu cinema gradually. While Sannapureddy Venkata Rami Reddy's novel Konda Polam was adapted into a film by Krish Jagarlamudi recently and will hit theatres on October 8, Bandi Narayanaswamy's Saptabhumi, Chalam's Maidanam are other literary works that'll be adapted into the OTT format soon. Another popular Telugu novel that joins this coveted list is legendary Telugu writer Gopichand's magnum opus Merupula Marakalu.

Merupula Marakalu will soon form the basis for a Kannada-Telugu film to be directed by reputed filmmaker Narendra Babu, who has helmed popular projects like Hottegagi Genu Battegagi and Chaduvukune Rojullo in the past. The film, to be shot in Telugu and Kannada simultaneously, will be produced by Shekhar Babu. The cast and the crew for the untitled film are yet to be finalised, but talks are on to rope in leading names for the same. The bilingual is expected to go on floors later this year.

A source close to the team confirms, "Merupula Marakalu was one of Gopichand's most popular novels in his career and it celebrates the 60th year of its release in 2021. The filmmakers found this to be a timely occasion to take this adaptation forward. Though the film was initially planned in Kannada, they felt the subject would resonate with Telugu audiences too. The casting process is on." Another popular novel of Gopichand, Panditha Parameswara Sastry Veelunama was made for Doordarshan by the writer's son, actor Sai Chand, in the early 90s.

Merupula Marakalu was first published as a weekly series in the vernacular daily Andhra Prabha between 1960-1961. The novel tells the story of Usha Rani, an independent, ambitious woman whose life takes several interesting turns and sheds new light on the man-woman relationship. The story touches upon aspects like human willpower and the importance of spiritual outlook in life. The Telugu novel was later also translated into English by DS Rao, titled Usha Rani. Many readers then claimed that the novel was as riveting as a film. No wonder it is being made into a film today (60 years after the novel's release) and continues to be relevant among readers.