72-year-old KV Prasad who has penned stories for mega blockbusters Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Bahubali, says the simpler the story, the more popular it is bound to get. Rajamouli’s father and veteran Telugu writer tells Deebashree Mohanty that he brings out stories from daily observations and then gives them a mindful tweak
The best reaction he got for his script for Bahubali was the abuses, declares 72-year-old veteran scriptwriter Koduri Ventaka Vijayendra Prasad. “I was visiting Kovvur in West Godavari just after the release of the film and I overheard a family abusing the writer for leaving the film hanging at the worst possible juncture. Why did Kutapa kill Bahubali senior was a question that was giving them sleepless nights. Although the abuses, in chaste Telugu, I took them as compliments. That people were thinking about the film much after leaving the hall gave me a lot of pride,” Prasad says.
The seasoned writer has been in the thick of action recently but he says all the credit goes to the directors and the actors who make the cinema come alive on celluloid. “I write stories based on my observation and what I feel people will relate to,” he says. Prasad is the man behind Bahubali and Bajrangi Bhaijaan which have grossed multiple millions at the box office and are still going strong, but the writer keeps a low profile. “I have not written a script with a monetary award in sight. I have always penned a story I have believed in,” the simple man who also wrote Rowdy Rathore’s Malayali version says.
Ask him his success mantra and he keeps it brief. “Simplicity. Who likes convoluted stuffIJ As if there is not enough stress going around,” he says.
Being director SS Rajamouli’s father gives him pride and presence. “He is a thinker. He is someone who has caught the nerve of the people and Raja is not the types to shy away from a challenge. As a director, he gives his cast and crew a lot of area to flex their muscle. Every person on the set treats the film as his own and that reflects in the movie,” Prasad says about his son, adding that not many directors are open to suggestion from the crew but Rajamouli is not one of them.
As for Kabir Khan, director of Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Prasad tells you that the young Khan is an organised person and knows exactly what he wants from his people.
“Very seldom you come across a director who knows which scene should follow what on Day 1. Kabir doesn’t like to dive into unknown waters. He does thorough research before delving into his subject,” he says.
The movies (Bahubali and Bajrangi...) may be as apart as chalk and cheese but Prasad says there is a common thread that binds them. “The films are about honesty of the lead protagonists and where it leads them. Bahubali discovers his roots while Pavan too discovers himself in the journey,” he explains.
Bajrangi was supposed to be a simple film about a common man’s struggles but Prasad says Salman took the film to the masses. “The star makes a huge difference,” he insists.
It is no big deal to come up with a fascinating story these days, he adds. “I read about a Pakistani couple who travelled to Apollo Hospital in Chennai for their daughter’s heart surgery. The hospital waived the entire fee.
“The parents were so moved that they wrote an open letter saying that there was no dearth of good people across the borders. We need to acknowledge the humanitarian side too. That is how the idea of Bajrangi came about,” he explains.
So, what happens in the sequel to the mega blockbuster (Bahubali The End) coming in 2016IJ “That has already been scripted and in the locker (laughs). If you think logically, you will get the answer why this happened and who is really responsible,” he says.
