Director Sriram Adittya: Hero is everyone's story

Director Sriram Adittya opens up on his festive release, Hero, which marks the debut of actor Mahesh Babu's nephew Ashok Galla in a lead role
Hero poster
Hero poster

Sriram Adittya, the director of Bhale Manchi Roju (2015), Shamanthakamani (2017) and Devadas (2018), is back with his fourth film Hero. A romantic action entertainer, the film introduces veteran actor Krishna's grandson and Mahesh Babu's nephew, Ashok Galla, as the lead actor.

"I got the idea of Hero long ago and I always wanted to do it with a newcomer. When Padma (Padmavathi Galla) invited me for a meeting, I had no idea that I will be introduced to Ashok. After a long conversation, I realised that he perfectly fits in for the part and went ahead," says Sriram.

The director says that Hero is as much a story of challenges as the narrative of an aspiring actor. "Hero is all about a youngster who nurtures a dream to become a film hero. He faces an unexpected situation in life and the rest is about whether he fulfills his dream or not," adds Sriram, who urges the audience to not miss the beginning of the film.

Sriram reveals that the characterisation of Ashok stemmed from real-life observations. "Everyone wants to be a hero at some point of their life. Similarly, cinema has always been the biggest influence for all of us. We celebrate films and everyone will have a common interest to prove himself as a hero. I have taken a new point and woven a unique story out of my observations. I would say Hero is everyone's story," explains the director.

Asked about the preparation Ashok did for the film, he says, "I gave him a list of my favourite films featuring Chiranjeevi garu and Mahesh Babu garu. It needs no introduction that Chiranjeevi garu has the best comic timing in the industry and we all enjoy watching his comedy scenes. I suggested Ashok pick up his body language and perform. I am really happy that Ashok is enthusiastic about learning everything and he performed well in the film. Also, I made sure that the story has so many elements — of comedy, action, emotions and romance — all packed neatly."

In the making for over two years, Sriram says they were aware of the financial disarrays they would have to overcome to make a promising film during the pandemic times. "We wanted to complete the film in six months, but it went on for little over two years due to Covid-19. Luckily, the budget of the film was increased only by 10% and the producers are okay with it," the director says.

The icing on the cake was remixing Krishna's chartbuster song Jumbare from Yamaleela (1994). "Krishna garu enjoyed the song and the film and predicted that Hero will become a big hit. Winning appreciation from him was a memorable feeling," shares Sriram.

Produced by Amara Raja Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, Hero is releasing on January 15.

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