Pallaburusu director Uday Chauhan reveals Nagarjuna, Naga Chaitanya's reactions to his debut film | Interview

In an interview with Hindustan Times, debutant director Uday Chauhan talks about his upcoming film Pallaburusu and the reactions it received when he pitched it.

Filmmaker Uday Chauhan, who previously helmed Season of Innocence, which was sent to film festivals, is debuting with the slice-of-life Telugu film Pallaburusu this Friday. While the title might be a regional term for toothbrush, the director tells Hindustan Times it’s about more than that. “I’m confident about the film because I worked on it with all my heart. Supriya (Yarlagadda) garu was in tears after watching the climax,” he says about the producer of his theatrical debut. He also reveals the reactions of Nagarjuna and Naga Chaitanya to his film.

Uday Chauhan debuts with Pallaburusu, which received a thumbs-up from Naga Chaitanya.

What is Pallaburusu all about?

Pallaburusu is a story set in Telangana, and the trailer hints at a legal conflict between a father and son over a toothbrush. “We usually deal with someone young and old when it comes to these stories,” says Uday. “But here, it’s an old man and his elderly father who are the protagonists. The toothbrush sparking a courtroom conflict might seem silly, but there’s more to the story that I cannot reveal now,” he adds.

Uday was shooting in a village for his previous film when he chanced upon inspiration. “I saw a 6-foot-tall, 70-year-old man sobbing in the middle of a graveyard in the fields. The image stayed with me for a long time. I wondered what could have happened to make him feel such grief, and that sparked the idea for Pallaburusu. It’s also inspired by things I’ve observed around me. While the story will be relatable, the why and what of their conflict is fresh,” he says.

Uday Chauhan on the set of his debut film Pallaburusu.

Sudhakar Reddy and Muralidhar Goud play the father and son, respectively. Uday was sure his story needed someone authentic over commercial faces. “At one point, I even considered training villagers to act, as I did for Season of Innocence. However, when Sudhakar garu and Muralidhar garu were cast, I felt they were a perfect fit for the way they speak and their comic timing. I’m lucky I found them because their energies gelled with my characters,” says the director.

Nagarjuna and Naga Chaitanya’s reviews

Pallaburusu is produced by Supriya Yarlaggada of Annapurna Studios and Vivek Krishnani of EPIC Studios. It was only natural that Surpiya also wanted her uncle, Nagarjuna, and her cousin, Naga Chaitanya, to hear the story she was so pumped about. “I remember when I first narrated the story to Supriya garu, she said she might do 90 other films, but she would regret it if she missed it. It made me happy because it’s not every day that producers back such rooted stories. Vivek has also been really sweet,” says Uday.

Chaitanya and Nagarjuna’s reviews of his film also helped Uday feel confident about it. “When I spoke to Chaitanya garu, he said, this is too good Uday. It’s very sweet and rooted. Let’s talk to Supriya and get it into production soon,” says the filmmaker, adding, “When Nag sir asked me to come home to hear it, it was a dream come true. I’m a huge fan since childhood and consider him my demigod. It was a full circle moment for me, and there was no looking back once he loved the story too.”

The only pressure Uday feels now is to hit it out of the park with his film. “It’s Annapurna and EPIC banners, nothing should go wrong. I know what I’m serving is fresh and quirky. Directors who debuted with Annapurna have only tasted success, and I took that as a responsibility. I hope the same holds true for me,” he says, rounding off and promising to be back with a psychological thriller or a sports drama next. Pallaburusu is releasing in theatres on August 14.