Viraaji is a suspense thriller with a social message: Director Adhyanth Harsha

Varun Sandesh is gearing up for his next film on August 2nd. His new project is titled Viraaji. Produced by Mahendra Nath Kondla under the M3 Media banner in association with Maha Movies, Viraaji marks the directorial debut of Adhyanth Harsha.

In his interaction with the media today, director Adhyanth Harsha spoke about the film:

Excerpts:

Our native place is Nellore. I did my B.Tech in Biotechnology from Tirupati. After that, I went abroad to pursue an MS in Biotechnology and a PhD in Neuroscience. During this time, I also took a course in filmmaking. I wrote ten stories for my movies during this period. In 2019, I returned to India with the dream of becoming a director. My family's support has been invaluable throughout this process.

Since returning, I have made three short films and an independent film that is 37 minutes long. Someone liked this film and bought it for two lakh rupees, which gave me a confidence boost. Last year, I pitched the story of "Viraaji" to an executive producer. He introduced me to producer Mahendranath, and after hearing my pitch, he loved the story. He mentioned the film's potential for theatrical release and asked who I envisioned as the lead.

From the beginning, I had Varun Sandesh in mind for the role of Andy, the protagonist in "Viraaji" who speaks English fluently. Since Varun is from the US, I felt his slang and body language would be a perfect fit for the character.

I narrated the story to Varun Sandesh. After hearing the first half, he expressed his appreciation. However, it was the second half that truly resonated with him. He got goosebumps and declared, "We have to make this movie!" With that, the pre-production of "Viraaji" began.

The pre-production phase lasted four months. We meticulously planned every shot, including details like the props and how each scene would be executed. We essentially created a shot-by-shot breakdown on paper, ensuring we had a thousand individual plans for a thousand shots in the film. This detailed approach, especially for a smaller budget film, minimizes waste on set.

- After completing the film, we did post-production for about four months. The meaning I felt for the title 'Viraaji' is one who spreads light to those in darkness. Some also say that 'Viraaji' means Lord Shiva. My perspective as a director is to show some of the issues in society on screen. Although there are elements like suspense and thriller in this movie, we are presenting social issues as an undercurrent. We are addressing a contemporary issue in society. These themes will continue to resonate with you after you watch 'Viraaji'.

- To outline the storyline of 'Viraaji': Ten people go to a place on a hill, which turns out to be a closed madhouse. When they come out, their car is missing, and there is no mobile signal. At that time, a man named Andy arrives. It is interesting to see what happens after his arrival in the film.

- Varun's character Andy is a rich kid who appears to be a descendant of a prominent person in society. He is not afraid of anyone. Varun's look is new, with his hair colored, ears piled, and lips blackened by smoking cigarettes. The character's appearance has a justification. To me, suspense thrillers are like a balloon. Adding any contemporary issue to it is like inflating the balloon. Only then will the balloon have weight. Varun mentioned that after 'Kothabangaru Lokam' and 'Happydays', he has done ten such films, but no one has seen them. Today's audience wants something new. If our movie is successful, there will be ten more like it.

- Music by Paul brought a tenfold impact to 'Viraaji' with his compositions. As much as the visuals are the highlight of this film, so is the music. The cinematographer was very supportive. Pramodhini, Balagam Jayaram, Raghu Karumanchi, Viva Raghavendra, Kushali, and Malayalee girl Aparna played pivotal roles.

- Varun Sandesh got emotional after seeing the preview of 'Viraaji'. He praised the film, saying it will give life to viewers. It is a film made for the theatrical experience, and you can only fully appreciate it in a theater. I was inspired by seeing Shankar's 'Indian' and wanted to create a film that appeals to the audience. I aspire to make such meaningful films in my career.