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in ‘Missing’

Terrific trio Anita Patel, Sunayana and Niya

To widen his base, he ventured into the Malayalam cinema and made Best Friends with popular actor Mukesh in the lead. The film did average business but Sunil’s work was recognised as he bagged a film with a producer from Kerala. “Language is no barrier as most stars know English. I too picked up Malayalam to an extent,” smiles the avant-garde filmmaker whose aim is now to capture mainstream audience.

When low budget filmmakers are finding it difficult to produce a second film, Sunil is able to make films continuously, a feat that is appreciable. “Friends helped me continue my work. Many incidents that occur in this industry dent one’s morale. More than financial help, what one needs in such situations is moral support. Again, if what you are doing is not known to the world then it becomes painful. From the beginning I am blessed with support from friends and the media. That gets me going. You are not recognised in this industry unless you are successful at the box office. So I hope to get that elusive success with Missing,” guffaws Sunil.

The theme is about three women, all doctors by profession (played by Anita Patel, Sunayana and newcomer Niya), who go on a picnic and two are found missing. “An investigation turns the story into a supernatural thriller.” Raghu, Prithvi and Nagababu are in the lead. Saketh Sairam composed the music for the three songs written by Sunil and debutantes Balaji and Kiranmayi. “We shot the songs at exotic locations in Kerala. Saketh had composed music for Prayathnam too but we couldn’t bring out an audio then as it had only two songs. As promised, we put them into the Missing album and released them,” informs Sunil.

Now that he has got a distributor, Sunil is planning to release the film after the Deepavali rush of releases is over. “It is very difficult for low budget films to get good theatres,” he rues. Something that industry bigwigs like Dasari Narayana Rao have been voicing over the years.

Having completed Missing what next? “It is an adventure film with the Tsunami backdrop. Titled Asha Deevi (Hope Island) the story is written by Sira Sri and showcases the plight of four children, three boys and a girl hailing from different countries thrown by the waves of Tsunami into a no man’s island. The rescue team unable to find them pronounces them dead. But with sheer will power, guts and hope the children survive. After all, hope is the oxygen of life. The graphic work is going on and the shoot will start from November 30,” concludes Sunil Kumar Reddy. Indeed hope is the elixir of life and one hopes at least at the next year’s IFFI some Telugu films are found worthy to be screened in the panorama section.

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