- “Whether it’s Karthavyam, Bharateeyudu, or Gentleman in Hindi, all the films I have produced include not just entertainment but also a message. That kind of message will be present in Hari Hara Veera Mallu too. This is the longest film project of my career. Previously, the film Aarambham that I did with Ajith took about two and a half years. But Hari Hara Veera Mallu took nearly five and a half years. Initially, we didn’t plan it as a two-part film. It’s set in the 17th century, and there was a lot of story to be told. We kept shooting and realized the story needed a proper ending point, so we decided to make it in two parts. The first part will release on July 24. The teaser and trailer received a great response. My son Jyothi Krishna directed it wonderfully—I was truly surprised.”
- “Without Pawan Kalyan Garu’s support, this film wouldn’t have reached this stage. We overcame three COVID waves and even went through elections in Andhra Pradesh. Due to all this, the film release got repeatedly delayed. When Pawan Kalyan Garu decided to return to film sets, our movie was the first one he worked on. At times, we couldn’t get artists’ dates, so we shot scenes with whoever was available, and later used graphics/VFX. This was particularly the case with Nazar and Sunil’s portions.”
- “I was under quite a bit of pressure during this journey. I’ll soon reveal who is releasing the film in the Nizam region. Some buyers are offering low prices, thinking the film doesn’t have enough buzz and that it’s an old project. But we fully believe in this film.”
- “We’re producing big-budget films out of passion. In such cases, screening the film at low ticket prices is not feasible. I believe the audience will understand that. If common audience feel ticket prices are high, they can choose to watch the movie after the first day. The industry is currently very dry—distributors and exhibitors don’t have any money. If big films like this release, they will revive theaters, and that in turn will help small films run in those same venues. Some meetings raised concerns about injustice to small films, but in reality, big films sustain the ecosystem.”
- “We have requested both Telugu state governments to allow paid premieres for this film. A G.O. (Government Order) may be issued today in Andhra Pradesh. In Telangana, officials said they only grant such permissions to historical films. We clarified that ours is indeed a historical film. After the G.O. is issued in A.P., they said they would review it. We’re hopeful of a positive outcome.”
- “After the announcement of Hari Hara Veera Mallu, there were rumors that it’s based on the historical figures Harihara Rayalu and Buggarayalu. But this film is a completely fictional story. Recently, someone named Sai claimed that the movie is based on his novel. We don’t even know what that novel is. If there was anything like that, we would officially acquire the rights.”
A.M. Rathnam’s interview regarding Hari Hara Veera Mallu (HHVM)
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