Yash Puri, who made a mark with his performances in ZEE5’s web film Alanti Sitralu, the comedy Cheppalani Undhi and the recently released epic drama Shaakuntalam is gearing up for the release of another film Happy Ending. This light-hearted coming of age tale, directed by Kowshik Bheemidi has god good buzz with the interesting promotional content. Apoorva Rao is cast as the female lead. Yogesh Kumar, Sanjay Reddy, Anil Pallala are bankrolling the film under Hamstech Films and Silly Monks Studios. In a recent interview, Producer Anil Pallala shared insights into the film.
“Sillymonks is primarily a content-creating company. We ventured into production with the movie ’24 Kisses,’ which, while being a youth-centric film, carried a meaningful message. Similarly, ‘Happy Ending’ is crafted to resonate with the youth while also being message-oriented. The film industry, often not recognized by external investors as a traditional industry, registers around 600 films annually, but only about 150 are widely known. The fate of the remaining 450 films, often produced by newcomers in the industry, is a major concern.
Without proper understanding, a film initially budgeted for one crore rupees can escalate to three crore, leading to financial issues even if the film succeeds. Each year, the industry faces a loss of about 400 to 500 crores due to new producers’ lack of awareness. Our company aims to bridge this gap, assisting these producers from production to release.
We attend national and international film festivals, study various aspects of filmmaking, distribution, and business, and have successfully distributed and promoted films like ‘Maa Vintha Gaadha Vinuma’ and ‘George Reddy.’ ‘Happy Ending’ was completed within its planned budget. We’re aware there won’t be pre-release business for this film. With a new hero, we decided to rely on post-release response. ’24 Kisses’ didn’t perform theatrically as expected but gained millions of views on YouTube and received a great response when dubbed in other languages. Each film has a different revenue model, and producers must plan accordingly for safety.
A compelling story is crucial for a film’s success. In ‘Happy Ending,’ we believe we have a story with great potential. We’ve taken calculated risks in production, ensuring that our promotional content is honest and doesn’t mislead the audience about the film’s content. Similar to films like ‘Vicky Donor’ and ‘Oh My God 2,’ which tackle serious subjects amidst entertaining elements, ‘Happy Ending’ also has layers and complexities. Audiences today are open to diverse content, and ‘Happy Ending’ offers entertainment along with thoughtful themes.
One of the key aspects we focused on was extensive pre-production, especially since our team consisted mostly of newcomers. We spent nearly 9 months in pre-production for ‘Happy Ending,’ meticulously planning each scene. This preparation allowed us to complete the film’s shooting in just 30 days.
Yash Puri, coming from a theater background, has delivered a compelling performance, showcasing a wide range of emotions. A strong performer like him has a bright future. Apoorva Rao, also from theater, has given an impressive performance. Our dedicated team made the shooting process smooth. Despite the two-year journey with this film, our excitement remains unchanged. We believe ‘Happy Ending’ will be well-received, with its technical excellence and the performances of the lead actors standing out. Viewers will leave with a smile, feeling their time was well-spent. We need the audience’s support for our young talents. The film is set for a theatrical release through Asian Cinemas .
Currently, our company has no plans to delve into OTT. We have a team of writers developing scripts, and we will only proceed with content creation if these are satisfactory. This approach is mirrored in our film projects as well. We’re collaborating with other production companies and are in post-production for a low-budget film with a new hero. More details will be shared soon.”