Director Padmavathi Malladi's Upcoming Film Gandhi Tatha Chettu Stars Sukumari's Daughter Sukruti Veni

Director Padmavathi Malladi shared insights about her upcoming film "Gandhi Tatha Chettu," starring Sukumari’s daughter, Sukruti Veni, in the lead role. The film is scheduled for release on January 24 and has already won several awards at film festivals. The film is produced under the banners of Maitri Movie Makers, Sukumar Writings, and Gopi Talkies, with Tabitha Sukumar presenting it. During the movie's promotion, Padmavathi revealed interesting details about her career journey. She mentioned that after completing her post-graduation, she wrote a script that led her to work in the writing department for the film Manamanta. She then contributed to the screenplay of Radhe Shyam starring Prabhas and worked on projects like Mahanati, Amma, and Brinda.

Talking about the movie's theme, Padmavathi explained that the story is about a girl who, driven by the principles of non-violence, saves a village and a tree. The film is not just an award-winning film but also features commercial elements. The shooting took place in Rangampet, a village near Kamareddy, known for its sugarcane fields. The story begins in 1947, involving Gandhi, a tree, and a grandfather figure, and spans into the year 2000. The film primarily highlights the concept of non-violence. The film's shooting took just 25 days to complete.

Padmavathi spoke about Sukruti Veni's casting, saying she envisioned a specific type of character for the female lead. She first saw Sukruti at the preview of Arjuna Kalyanam and felt she was the perfect fit for the role of Gandhi. She approached Tabitha through Sukumar and convinced Sukruti for the role. They conducted a two-month workshop with Sukruti to prepare her for the character, with all dialogues rehearsed beforehand. Sukruti even agreed to get a shaved head for the role, as the character was portrayed as a brave girl. Padmavathi also mentioned that Sukumar had supported the project but did not provide specific guidance, as the film's genre was different from his usual work. After the film won awards, Sukumar suggested that it be released, and it gained recognition after its success in film festivals.