We Can't Judge From Jubilee Hills What Audience Wants

Praveena Paruchuri, who is making her directorial debut with Kothapallilo Okkapudu, talks about the importance of knowing one's audience, how she finds it necessary to be demanding on sets, and why she prefers to remain an 'outsider'

- BH HARSH

OTHAPALLILO Okkapudu is Praveena Paruchuri's third film as a producer, and her first as a director. This is not the first time, though, that she has risked it all on a filmmaking project. The US-based cardiologist had to constantly shuttle between US and India to both shoot and complete post-production for her latest film that will hit theatres on July 18.

Praveena reminisces about the road trip which she took during her sabbatical after C/O Kancharapalem (2018) released, where she interacted with many villagers. She recalls, "I asked many people what they liked about the film. It hadn't released on OTT yet. As I asked my questions, I saw that they were able to see themselves on the screen — the way the characters sit together with their friends, for drinking and dancing sessions, or the little romances they pursue. There was that relatability for them."

Both C/O Kancharapalem and Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya were based in smaller towns. Meanwhile, Kothapallilo Okkapudu is set in a small village. She recalls her early memories of visiting many smaller localities in the two Telugu-speaking states. "When I first visited Hyderabad, it was as alien to me as Japan. However, the minute I went to towns, I felt a sense of comfort and groundedness. It reminded me of the place that my family and I come from. To me, India means small towns and villages."