Megastar Chiranjeevi has already posted a glimpse and introduced to the audience how exceptional the Dharmasthali temple set in Acharya is going to be. Art director Suresh Selvarajan is the man behind the magnificent set.
Suresh Selvarajan, who worked for Koratala Siva’s Bharath Anu Nenu, has previously worked as an art director for Hindi ‘Brothers’ and Tamil films Inkokadu and Petta. Now, we exclusively interviewed Suresh and brought some exciting details about his work in Acharya.
The temple set shared by Megastar Chiranjeevi received a special response. What was your feeling then?
It was a wonderful experience to have Chiranjeevi posting a picture of me in a tweet and praise my work for Acharya. His admiration made me talk of the town overnight. Getting appreciation from Chiranjeevi Garu is the most valuable thing that I gained in the Telugu film industry. Although this is my second film in Telugu, I got the honour of being a brilliant art director who did 40-50 films. Chiranjeevi and Charan used to praise my work not only on social media but also on the set every day. Their positive energy made me work with more energy.
The amazing #TempleTown set built for #Acharya is a real piece of Art. Couldn't stop sharing it with you all. pic.twitter.com/P4psg5TDVn
— Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) January 6, 2021
What is the budget of the Dharmasthali temple set and how many days did it take to build the set?
I have no idea how much the temple set budget has become comprehensive, but I can say that it has gone above 20 crores. Including other small sets and other set properties, it is up to 25 crore sets. Also, it took three and a half months to set up that temple.
How much percent of the film is made on the costly Temple set?
About 60% of the film happens on the Dharmasthali temple set. The remaining 40% takes place in different sets and locations.
How is the support of the producers in setting up the set with such a huge budget?
My biggest thanks to Producers Niranjan Reddy and Ram Charan. Because now everything is digitized and many are opting for CG Work for any set. But biggest thanks to the makers for allowing me to set up the Biggest Temple Set in India at a cost of around Rs 25 crore on a 20-acre site. Such an extensive set would not have been possible without the support of the producers. It was also made attainable by the vision and opportunity of director Koratala Siva Garu.
Did Chiranjeevi like your work in ‘Acharya’ and offer you another film?
Yes, I am also doing artwork for Chiranjeevi sir’s next film Lucifer Telugu remake. The opportunity given by Megastar is a biggest award for me.
How was your work experience with Chiru and Charan? How is their combination going to be on the big screen?
Like Chiranjeevi, Charan also appreciated the work on the set. Also, Charan is equally talented as his father. They fill the technicians with positive energy. Chiru-Ram Charan combination is mind-blowing on the screen and it will surely make fans go crazy. Can’t reveal anything more about them at this moment.
After observing your work for Acharya, you should get more offers in Tollywood. Have you committed to any other movies? And what are your next projects?
After Acharya, I’m getting some splendid opportunities. But I am a Mumbai based art director doing films in Hindi and Tamil. So, I will sign projects in Telugu balancing my projects in other languages depending on my dates. I am currently working on the remake of Chiranjeevi’s Lucifer in Telugu and a remake of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo in Hindi.
Interview by Harish