On an overcast morning, director Mallidi Vassishta is in a relaxed mood at his office in Hyderabad . The pre-production work for his new film starring Chiranjeevi, which will go on floors in November, is on. The director, who debuted with the Telugu fantasy drama Bimbisara, which starred Kalyan Ram in dual roles, surprised many when the announcement of him directing Chiranjeevi’s 157th film was made a few weeks ago. He lets the excitement show, revealing that it will be a fantasy entertainer. “We haven’t seen Chiranjeevi garu in that space since Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990). Our film will place him in a new fantasy world.”
A fan of Marvel and DC superhero stories as well as Vittalacharya films, Vassishta says plans are on to create a Disney-like entertainer that will engage children and families. “Jagadeka Veerudu… appealed to children of the 90s. I want today’s children to see Chiranjeevi in that zone. I grew up watching fantasy films, cartoons and reading Chandamama stories. The idea for Bimbisara came while watching an old Mickey Mouse cartoon. I have fond memories of watching Tom and Jerry, Shaktimaan, SuperTed and HeMan.”
