Director Shiva Nirvana made his mark in Tollywood by impressing audience with love and family entertainers on the big screen. His films Ninnu Kori, Majili and Tuck Jagadish were successful and loved by family audience. Director Shiva Nirvana’s new film ‘Kushi’ starring Vijay Devarakonda and Samantha is gearing up for a pan-India release in three days. Produced by Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar under Mythri Movie Makers banner. While getting ready for the release of ‘Kushi’, director Shiva Nirvana interacted with media about the experience of shooting this film.
There have been many movies in the past with pre-marriage and post-marriage problems. But in this movie I wanted to tell the story with entertainment as the title suggests. People saw the entertainment filled scenes in the trailer. There are few scenes which will touch everyone’s heart. I narrated this story to Vijay after the movie Dear Comrade. A year and a half after telling the story, we took it to the sets. Because Vijay is busy with Liger movie. After doing Ninnu Kori, Majili, Tuck Jagadish, I wanted to do an out of the box movie. But when I met Vijay, I told Kushi’s story as a point. He liked it very much. Thus began the journey of ‘Kushi’.
There are also reports that ‘Kushi’ has a similar point to Mani Ratnam’s ‘Sakhi’ but it has a unique point. I believe that an issue in today’s contemporary society would be better addressed by popular stars like Vijay and Samantha. This point is connected to them. We didn’t show that point in the trailer. Audience need to see it in the theatre.
I have previously made failure love stories in Ninnu Kori and Majili. But this time I wanted to make an entertaining, energetic and fun love story. I am a fun person personally. I thought it would be fun for this movie, some more titles. But when Vijay and Samantha wanted to take the film to a pan-Indian level for their pan-Indian image, it seemed better to have a single title in five languages. So we fixed the title ‘Kushi’. This movie does not have any version of the hero or the heroine. The characters are balanced and this movie started with Vijay. After that, we asked Samantha that the film would be stronger if there was a heroine like her. Vijay is well liked by the lady audience through this film.
The Kashmir backdrop was born from the idea of how to tell a love story in a new way. While writing the story, the second half is ready. But instead of showing the love story in the college as a routine in the first class, I thought it would be better to start from a feel-good place, a pleasant place. Also, I thought the introduction between the hero and heroine should be fun. As you can see in the trailer, the hero calls the heroine Begum once and again. It’s all fun. Samantha is very cooperative for the shoot. A very dedicated heroine. How can we all not support such a heroine if she gets a health problem. She used to say that she would come in the middle of the treatment but it was difficult to make schedules by giving a gap in between, so we told her to come only after she is completely cured.
When I talked to Hesham for Kushi’s music, I felt that he can give good music. When I told Vijay, he also said ok. Hesham gave superb music, now all the songs are hits. Na Roja Nuvve was a hit in all languages including Hindi. Since the music has got a good name, we decided to start the promotion of the film in a grand way with that music, so we organized a music concert. This is Vijay’s idea.
When Hesham was sitting for ‘Kushi’ songs, I was not getting a tune that I liked. Hero likes Kashmir in this movie and loves Mani Ratnam movies. As that character sings, i have written the lyrics as Na Roja Nuvve, Na Dil Se Nuvve, Anjali, Gitanjali Nuvve. Hesham gave a tune for it and sang. The song was completed including recording by 5 pm. Everyone in Mythri office listened to the song and everyone loved it. I also wrote the hook line Naa Chelitara in Aaradhya. So I was writing some lines and Hesham’s tune happened. We did all the songs so that this would be a good workout. I wrote songs in my previous films Ninnu Kori, Majili and Tuck Jagadish. I have a good relationship with lyricists like Ananth Sriram and Ramajogayya Sastry. This is how we went to this movie. I will be working with lyricists for next movies. Even then, if possible, I will write a song.
Vijay has good comedy timing and it is similar to Geetha Govindam and Pelli Choopulu. But he did stylish comedy in this. Vijay’s character is well liked by girls and family audience. Everyone owns his character. In ‘Kushi’ there is no conflict between Hindu and Muslim. But we will show a very sensitive issue in the story. You will like it. We have taken the back drop of Kashmir for a pleasant atmosphere.
Mythri Producers will give good freedom fot the directors. We have to make good use of the resources given by them. Every director, not only me, says good things about Mythri. Ravi garu met me while shooting Ninnu Kori in the US. They said we should make a film. He felt heart touching when I told him this story. He said that it would be better to produce a love story while making big action movies in Mythri. Even though the shooting of ‘Kushi’ was stopped for five months, they never questioned it. We can understand how much support they have given to those who said that it would have been better if the set was bought. If I connect I will do films in a row. I have done two films with Nani and also two films with Shine Screens. Now I’m associated with Mythri.
Vintage Samantha will be seen in ‘Kushi’. She has done different genres like Family Man. Now it feels good to see Samantha in a love story. Destiny is not in my hands to make films at speed. I have been doing films for two years. In the middle, covid break . My previous film Tuck Jagadish was a film made for Jagadish Theater but it went OTT. It is not known how the result would have been if it had been released in theaters.
The story of the movie ‘Kushi’ has no relation to Samantha’s real life. This is a story I wrote three years ago. I have done a movie with her in Majili, so we took her into this because she can act well. That’s all she played her character in the story I wrote. If another heroine acts in this movie, there will be no chance for such questions.
I am a fan of director Mani Ratnam. I like his movies. When I wanted to enter the industry, I wanted to go to Chennai and join as assistant for him. But despite trying for a week, I could not meet Mani Ratnam. I like his movies but I don’t want to be like him. No one can put a single frame like Mani Ratnam. We get inspiration from his aesthetic sense and music sense in his movies.
Movies like Baahubali, Pushpa, RRR, Karthikeya 2 are all movies that made us like them. People of other languages liked it and they became Pan India films. In my view, if our nativity movie that we like is done well, it will be liked by others and become a pan India movie. I think we don’t need to plan ahead to make it Pan India film. After watching ‘Kushi’ in the theatre, you will come out with a good feeling.
