Revisiting Venkatadri Express (2013): Review + Interesting Facts

Credits
Banner: Anandi Art Creations
Cast: Sundeep Kishan, Rakul Preet Singh, Nagineedu, Brahmaji, Saptagiri, Tagubothu Ramesh, Pruthvi, Jaya Prakash Reddy, MS Narayana, Narsing Yadav etc
Music: Ramana Gogula
Lyrics: Bhaskarabhatla, Srimani, Kasarla Syam
Art: Sahi Suresh
Fights: King Salman, Venkat
Choreography: Shekar VJ
Camera: Chota K Naidu
Editing: Gautham Raju
Direction: Merlapaka Gandhi
Producers: Gemini Kiran
Release date: 29 November 2013
Interesting Facts
Merlapaka Gandhi real name is Che Guevara. I am born and brought up in Vedullacheruvu near Renigunta. My relatives and friends started called me Chegu, Jaggu etc since they found it hard to pronounce Che Guevara. Then my father changed my name to Gandhi when I was 5 after watching Attenborough’s Gandhi in his village.
My father Merlapaka Murali used to be a journalist and worked in Eenadu and Andhra Jyothy newspapers. He likes writing novels. 25 of his novels were published in Swathi magazine. He was interested in Communism I studied in Tirupathi till intermediate and then did my B.Tech. in Allagadda.
I wanted to become a director since I was in 10th class. But my father wanted me to finish studies first. After completing B.Tech, I told my father that I would do a diploma course in cinematography so that even if I fail in movies, I can live by doing wedding photography. My father agreed and I have joined LV Prasad institute in Chennai for cinematography course. I was never interested in cinematography and I used to attend direction classes. Sujith (Run Raja Run director) was my senior in that film institute.
Then he after 1 year of Course felt I knew everything and made a short film called Karma Raa Devuda. It became popular and he started to get calls from the industry and one of them was Khayyum, brother of Ali in Super movie. Then they did a short film together.
The first line I thought about is that a guy who wants to go to Tirupati missed his train in Hyderabad and boards it at Tirupathi. Then I added father character who gives son a last chance to stay at house and it has added tension factor. Then there is a heroine who gets tagged along. And then I wrote characters of Saptagiri and Thagubothu Ramesh for entertainment aspect.
I told my father the story but he wasn't impressed intitially and he likes romance so he actually wrote the love track in the movie between Sundeep and Rakul. Most of the characters I have written are taken from real life.
Narrated it to Sundeep Kishan, then told it to Chota K Naidu and he felt very excited and introduced him to produce Kiran and after listening he immediately said lets go to shooting.
Producer actually gave suggestion for the title Venkatadri Express and it was fixed and it was also his suggestion to get Raman gogula for the Music after a long gap of 6 years after Yogi for a notable movie.
First combo of Sundeep and Chota K Naidu. This is his first film made entirely with digital cameras. He has used Arri Alexa and Red Epic cameras.
He has used lights in an effective way. We have hired a train for 11 days and shot in real locations like Kachiguda Railway station.
For Saptagiri’s role, Ali was actually the first choice and that point in time Prema Katha Chitram hadnt released when they were filming. Saptagiri’s was fresh and Gandhi liked his innocence but Chota K Naidu didnt like him.
He said let me call Ali garu right now but that character required Sundeep Kishan to yell at him, he didnt like Sundeep chiding (thittadam) didnt sit with well with him (ekkatle).
So they continued with Saptagiri and he got very good name with it and rest is history.
Movie was a hit at the box office and honestly speaking this was the last movie of Sundeep Kishan that I actually liked. Completed 50 days.