Ankith Koyya and Nilakhi Patra lead as hero and heroine in ‘Beauty’, a film jointly produced by Vijaypal Reddy Adidhala and Umesh Kumar Bhansal. The movie is a collaboration between Zee Studios, Maruthi Team Product, and Vanara Celluloid. JSS Vardhan, renowned for his work in ‘Geetha Subramanyam’, ‘Hello World’, and ‘Bhale Unnade’, has penned the dialogues and directed the film. The story and screenplay were written by RV Subrahmanyam. The film is set to hit theatres on September 19th. The teaser, trailer, and songs released so far have created much anticipation. As the release date draws near, director JSS Vardhan spoke to the media, sharing his thoughts and answering various questions.
Tell us about yourself and your background:
My name is Shiva Sai Vardhan, and I hail from Nellore. The desire to work in films began during my engineering days. Due to financial constraints, I initially took up an IT job. While working in IT, I made ‘Geetha Subramanyam’ series in 2016, which earned me considerable recognition. I subsequently did two seasons of the ‘Pelligola’ series, followed by two seasons of ‘Geetha Subramanyam’ on Aha. Niharika then gave me the chance to work on ‘Hello World’. All of this was while I continued my IT job. In 2020, I decided to leave my job to focus entirely on filmmaking. There was a brief gap during this transition, but my wife supported me by working during that time. Afterwards, I made the film ‘Bhale Unnade’ with Raj Tarun under Maruthi’s guidance. However, for various reasons, the film did not turn well. After it was completed, Maruthi sir called me again and offered me this film.
Who wrote the story for ‘Beauty’ and how did it come to you?*
Maruthi sir approached me with the story, which was originally written by journalist Subrahmanyam sir. He was supposed to direct it, but for various reasons, Zee suggested me for the project after they liked my work. This was my first time working on a story written by someone else. I spent a week immersing myself in the narrative.
Your previous series featured cute romance and engaging scenes. Can we expect the same here?*
I always strive to bring something relatable and avoid repeating myself. This film emphasizes relatability as well. The chemistry between the leads, much like in ‘Geetha Subramanyam’, has come out very well. The drama runs strong throughout, and there’s no room for boredom. Everyone who attended the recent pre-release event spoke highly after watching the film. All the characters are relatable, and the heroine feels like the girl-next-door. Initially, we considered someone else for the role, but later realized she didn’t fit the ‘girl-next-door’ image and changed the casting.
How did Ankith get selected, and how hard did he work for the role?
Ankith was on board from the start. I was already acquainted with him. During ‘Hello World’ with Niharika, Ankith was considered for a role but couldn’t take it up. Apart from Ankith, I personally selected the rest of the cast. Ankith has travelled this journey closely with me and has performed realistically. In one shot, he even fell without any safety measures, demonstrating his dedication. He’s truly carried the film on his shoulders.
If you had to sum up the story in one line, what would it be?*
It’s about a middle-class girl. Nowadays, people tend to compare their lives with others rather than living for themselves. The protagonist also constantly compares herself to others, wanting what they have. This tendency is prevalent among teenagers—comparing themselves and wanting more, oblivious to their own situation. Parents provide beyond their means, yet children highlight even minor shortcomings. That’s the core of this story. Many people today want their children to enjoy what they themselves couldn’t, which can lead to unrealistic expectations. In the film, even though the father is a cab driver and works beyond his means for his daughter, she remains unaware. There aren’t any stereotypical class distinctions here. The narrative is simply about life, which is why I connected with it.
Maruthi sir mentioned you were upset after ‘Bhale Unnade’. How do you handle film results?*
I tend to be emotional. At the premiere of ‘Bhale Unnade’ itself, I realized the second half hadn’t worked. Once it was clear that the film wouldn’t succeed, I sat in the bathroom and cried for an hour, but then I moved on. Some things in that film didn’t work out.
Is ‘Beauty’ solely a love story, or is there a thriller element as well?*
It’s not just a love story; there are thrilling moments too. The film presents an emotional drama, showing the hardships faced by a couple when left house with nothing.
How did music director Vijay Bulganin, fresh from ‘Baby’, deliver for this film?*
Vijay Bulganin has done a fantastic job. The ‘Pretty’ song was completed first. The rest of the songs were written after I came on board. The background score is sure to impress viewers. While I suggested some changes, he asked me to trust him—and the final result is outstanding.
Did Maruthi sir suggest any changes after watching the film?
Currently, film length is a commonly discussed topic. After watching the film, Maruthi sir suggested trimming five minutes. I also felt the same and ended up cutting about seven minutes.
Why did you choose the title ‘Beauty’?*
In this story, the heroine initially values outer beauty over inner beauty. The film emphasizes that true beauty is internal, beyond labels of black or white.
Were there budget limitations because this is a small film?
Working within a budget is actually beneficial. Without limits, a director might overindulge, but necessary provisions are always made. For instance, for a ship scene in the film, I convinced Maruthi sir of its necessity, and he approved the budget.
At the event, Ankith publicly said people could rate the film zero if they didn’t like it. Why such confidence?*
It’s pure guts. He didn’t say it lightly; he genuinely believes in the film. Even if someone did rate it zero, we’d accept it, but we don’t expect that to happen. All the films released this month have been hits, so for audiences to spend money on our film too, we have to offer quality—and we believe we have.
*Tell us about Naresh and Vasuki’s pairing.*
Their combination is wonderful. Both bring a lot of energy on set, and Vasuki has been incredibly supportive. Initially, there was hesitation in casting Vasuki as Naresh’s wife; she recently played his daughter in ‘Sundarakanda’. But here, as his wife, their performances convincingly delivered the emotions and will resonate well.
*What has been the audience’s response?
The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Maruthi sir praised the film highly at the recent event. One distributor told me at interval that the film was good, and by the end, he left the auditorium in tears — that felt like a true achievement. Some cab drivers also watched and related to the story. Screenings will be open to the public as well, not just industry insiders.
*What’s next for you—films or series?
I want to tell earthy, real stories. I have written a martial arts story and am learning more about the craft. Stories should come from our own experiences and surroundings. I also enjoy action and am open to working on series again, as making a living is important. If called for sequels of ‘Geeta Subramanyam’ or ‘Pelligola’, I’ll definitely go. There have also been discussions with Amazon.
