Nandamuri Kalyan Ram’s Arjun S/O Vyjayanthi, directed by Pradeep Chilukuri, is set for a theatrical release on April 18. Also starring the legendary Vijayashanti, the film is billed as a massy family entertainer with action, sentiment, and a quietly simmering ideological conflict between a mother and son. It marks a comeback for Vijayashanti in a full-length, physically intense role and presents Kalyan Ram in an intense emotional space. Addressing how the film came into being, Pradeep shared, “The producers wanted to make a film with Kalyan Ram gaaru. He had already done experimental films like Devil or Amigos recently. This time, we thought, ‘Let’s do a mass film.’ I built a strong hero character, and then we thought, what if the mother was just as powerful? That’s when the idea of a character like Vyjayanthi came to life.”
The real test, of course, was casting. Pradeep recalled, “We pitched the idea to Kalyan Ram gaaru and he said yes, but only if Vijayashanti gaaru agrees to it. If she is not going to do it, then let’s work on another story. We took it to her, and she was very happy. She even suggested a few changes. We made them, and then we went to set.”
