By that time I understand enough of how the industry operates. Surendra asked me to make a story for Kodandi Rami Reddy's film which I did. He signed Ganesh Patro as a dialogue writer. Kodandi Rami Reddy during those days used to do 7 to 8 films a year and most of the time would not even remember the story of the film he is currently shooting. I took in this information. I narrated the story to Mr.Reddy and Mr.Patro who were fine with it. Then Surendra wanted Mr.Patro to go to Hyderabad, as at that time we were all in Chennai, to narrate to A.N.R as he was shooting in Hyderabad. Later that night I talked to Mr.Patro and offered to go to tell the story to A.N.R myself. Mr.Patro to save the trouble of going called up Surendra and told him to send me to tell the story as I anyway have written it.
So Surendra sent me to Hyderabad to tell the story to A.N.R. I went there and by a deliberate design I narrated the story in such a way that A.N.R. had lots of problems with the script. He called up Surendra and Mr.Patro and Mr.Reddy and told them the story does not work at all. They were taken by surprise and waited for me to come back to tell what the problem was.
I went back and told them a completely different version of problems for what A.N.R had, which were designed to confuse Mr.Patro and Mr.Reddy. The advantage I took is that I clearly knew that Mr.Reddy does not have a script sense and he also has a weak memory and Mr.Patro at any given point of time is busy with 10 films and he is primarily a dialogue writer. So the sum effect of all these proceedings of them not knowing what I told them and the complicated design I worked on confusing them resulted in suddenly there was no script for the film and the dates of Nagarjuna were just around the corner.
Leaving all three in the room in a state of confusion, I went to Nagarjuna who used to live in the upstairs of the office then and told him that there is no script for the Kodandi Rami Reddy film and there's no way a script can come up in the given time and I said since my script is ready as long as he decided to take a chance on me someday or the other why not take it now. He asked me about what Surendra might say. I went to Surendra and told him that since he will loose a project with Nagarjuna and not get his dates for quite some time, I will try and convince Nagarjuna to do my film in the same dates, to which he agreed. Then I met Nagarjuna and told him Surendra is keen to do the film with me only and I called Surendra in and told him Nagarjuna is fine with it. I don't know how clear I am being here but the basic point is that I made both Nagarjuna and Surendra feel that it the other's decision. But both of them said they have to talk to Venket. He wasn't home as he went for a party. I waited till midnight until Venket came and told him that both Nagarjuna and Surendra decided to do the film with me. He was non-committal. In the morning before Venket woke up I told Nagarjuna and Surendra that Venket was very happy about the decision. And after Venket woke up I took care that no two of them will meet with each other without me being present. They three also had some subtle personal issues with each other which I took advantage of by making each feel that if one opposes the other two will support me.
Then I leaked out the news to the staff at the office. So when Surendra was asked by a staff member if Mr.Reddy's project has been shelved, I told Surendra it could have been leaked out because of Nagarjuna or Venket and told him that he should hurry up and break the news to Mr.Reddy himself before Mr.Reddy gets to know from outside which is bound to create a bad taste. So Surendra met Mr.Reddy and told him.
The news spread like a wild fire as a major production company like Annapurna Studious dropping the reigning top Director Kodandi Rami Reddy and signing on a rank newcomer Ram Gopal Varma has never ever happened before. With a formal telling by all three to A.N.R, they gave a go-ahead and 'Shiva's' pre-production work started in full swing.
I conned and lied to everybody concerned but the one and only one truth was that I genuinely believed in my heart that 'Shiva' would be a far superior film to whatever Mr.Reddy might make and also that it will do lot more good to all concerned and mainly to me of course.
P.S: Tarani after the success of 'Rao Gari Illu' made a few flops, is now back to working as an assistant director presently to Poori Jajan.
By Ram Gopal Varma
