Kalyan Manthina and Bhanu Pratapa are more than your average debut producers. Before they took the big plunge as producers with the upcoming comedy entertainer Mithra Mandali, they worked closely with their friend Bunny Vasu, especially on AAY and Thandel, which had taken birth in a writers' room corner. Single and Kotabommali PS are the other two films on which the duo worked as co-producers, letting Bunny Vasu mentor them.
Ahead of the theatrical arrival of Mithra Mandali, the Kalyan-Bhanu duo say that the film is a full-on fun film from the word go. We expect even the climax to be hilarious! In this interview, the duo talk about the highlights of the Diwali treat. The film co-stars Priyadarshi, Rag Mayur, Prasad Behara, Vishnu Oi and Niharika NM.
When Vijayender S gave us a narration, we were immediately onboard. Bunny Vasu garu wanted us to join him as producers. The director has previously assisted the likes of Anudeep KV (Jathi Ratnalu, Funky, Prince), Kalyan Shankar (MAD, MAD Square), and Aditya Haasan ('90s: A Middle Class Biopic). His execution is as good as his narration. (Notably, the three directors have helped Vijayender with post-production in the last many days purely because of their strong friendship).
We believe in contributing to the script in some or the other way. We intensely involve ourselves during the writing stage. In fact, it's because of this passion that we had started a writers' room. No matter what the creative differences with others, we make sure that the end product is of high quality. It has been a deeply enjoyable journey in the industry. We love the process of conceiving ideas, sharing them, and growing with them. It's a collective endeavour as far as we are concerned.
The story takes place in Jangli Pattanam, a fictional town where the characters are funny in different ways. The situations that pop up in their lives are hilarious.
Niharika NM has proven to be the right choice. It was Allu Aravind garu who finalized her profile. Since she has a certain way of speaking, the sarcastic delivery totally suited her. She will be fun to watch.
Jambar Gimbar Lala (the song featuring Brahmanandam, Priyadarshi, Niharika NM) was not part of the original script. It was added later to add zest to the film. It was great shooting it. It will turn out to be one of the key highlights of Mithra Mandali.
Despite other releases coming in, we are sure that good content will be lapped up by the audience no matter what. It's not unexpected that the Diwali season is witnessing much competition. Our film is a wholesome entertainer.
From comedy to horror, we are diving into every genre. Regardless of a project's scale, our focus is always the story. Strong, compelling content will forever be our top priority. Our next film will belong to the horror genre.
