As #GudumbaShankar headlined by @PawanKalyan clocks 18 years today, a look at its birth, what went behind-the-scenes, casting Ashish Vidyarthi, the story behind the blockbuster soundtrack n much more…
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1)Initially, Veera Shankar worked on Tiger Sitharamudu for Pawan.
It would’ve seen the actor in the role of a guide. The story had a US backdrop.
It was even launched with Shriya Saran as the heroine.
But then Johnny’s result had a bearing on it.
2)Producer Naga Babu felt that it’s better to go with a fun film than with a big budget flick like Tiger.
That’s how Gudumba Shankar took shape.
Satyanand and Naga Babu worked on the basic story. It was, however, short on logics.
3)Veera Shankar and Pawan objected to it and plugged the loose ends.
Along with writer Gopi, who was from Chennai, they gave it a complete new spin.
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4)In fact, much before Tiger Sitharamudu, Veera Shankar researched on Telangana armed struggle for a year and developed a story for Pawan.
And when he shared the story, the actor said, ‘Gadar and Lagaan had just released. If we do it, it will be like emulating them.’
5)Many were dead against Ashish Vidyarthi’s inclusion in Gudumba Shankar as the ruffian Kumaraswamy.
Their bone of contention was that humour will not work on him.
Long back Ashish had done a comic role in a stage play and shared the same video to Veera Shankar.
6)After watching the video, the director was convinced and roped him in.
Prominent actor and dubbing artiste Ravi Shankar dubbed for Ashish’s role.
7)After dubbing for the engagement scene from the film, he rang Veera Shankar and said, ‘My stomach is hurting because of the laughs the scene has induced. Please ask Naga Babu to construct a warehouse to store the money the film is going to make’.
8)Fans of Power Star expected a Baashha kind of film but the makers delivered a side-splitting entertainer.
The expectations didn’t meet, causing the film to under-perform.
However, patronage from family audience meant that it had the legs to break-even in most territories.
9)The film holds the distinction of being the first Telugu film to have breached the Rs 1 crore mark on day one in Nizam. The power and might of the Power Star!
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10)Especially, the climax fight dealt a body blow to the film.
Fans of Pawan just couldn’t connect 2 it.
In fact, Veera Shankar designed a challenging climax fight keeping in mind his leading light’s image but the actor wanted it 2 be natural.
Stunt Shiva was the master.
11)The chase sequence in the first half where Shankar’s (Pawan) Scorpio is sandwiched between two trucks was shot at Mahabaleswar and Panchgani in Maharashtra.
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12)It was filmed in 3 days.
It received much acclaim, with plaudits particularly going to lensman Chota.
Allan Amin choreographed it.
Pawan shot it without a dupe. Meera Jasmine joined the shoot with this part.
13)As Pawan was playing a street-smart role, the diktat was that he goes all out with it.
Which is why one could see a lot of energy in his performance.
It is one of his best turns as an actor.
Underrated and under-appreciated though.
14)If you watch the film again, you can see him imitating the legendary NTR, Mohan Babu, Sai Kumar and Prakash Raj in different parts of the film.
As Kalyanji-Anandji, he looked million bucks and many believe that looks-wise it was his second best after Khushi.
15)One of the hilarious episodes of the film is the one where Shankar meets Guruji (Brahmanandam) for the first time at the latter’s ashram.
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16)Jyothi Lakshmi’s song Gudi Yenaka Naa Saami Gurramekki Kusunnadu from the film, Ida Lokam, inspired Veera Shankar to come up with the episode titled Gudi Enaka Naa Saami.
17)When he approached Pawan with a version of the episode, he was in splits.
It was the actor who suggested why not use the phrase Sita Ram, Jaya Sita Ram... for it.
18)Majority of the 2nd half transpires in the house of Gowri (Meera).
The house set was built at a cost of Rs 1 crore. Back then, it was the talk of the town.
To be authentic, they used marble flooring for the set. It generally doesn’t happen with house sets.
19)Naga Babu is believed to have made the amount he invested on the house from rentals, as many Telugu films were shot in the same house after Gudumba Shankar.
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20)The cycle rickshaw scene, where Kalyanji-Anandji croons Rimjim Rimjim Hyderabad… was shot on tank bund road.
Bcoz of the state govt’s official function, the road leading up to secretariat was lit up fully.
The lights helped the scene, so did Mani’s haunting bgm.
21)The next scene where Kalyanji-Anandji and Gowri visit an Irani café for tea was shot at a café in Sanathnagar.
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22)The scene where Kalyanji-Anandji sits atop multiple chairs after creating a rift between Kumaraswamy and Bejawada Narayana was inspired from Lord Hanuman’s Lanka Dahanam.
23)When Hanuman was denied a seat in Ravana’s court, he elongated his toil, coiled it around to create a column, and jumped on top of it. Certain, most of you know it.
24)The scene was shot at the famous Singh House in Miyapur.
A major part of Megastar Chiranjeevi-starrer Bavagaru Bagunnara was filmed here.
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25)Coming to songs, the much-loved Chiguraku Chaatu Chilaka, rendered to perfection by Charan n Sujatha, was shot in the scenic locales of Queenstown, New Zealand.
Mani used to send tunes in cassettes back then and the final tune was picked from 3 tunes he had done.
26)Seetharama Sastry wrote the lyrics, while Pawan’s friend of many years, Harish Pai, choreographed it.
The visuals are still a top draw.
27)As far as Chittinadumune Chustunna… written by Seetharama Sastry, the idea was to do a fun song, which centres on the hip of Gowri.
The prelude to the song has Pawan in one of his best acts as a performer.
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28)While penning the lyrics, Seetharama Sastry told Veera Shankar, ‘You are making me to write very romantically?’
‘Sringaraa kavyalu raasina vaare evergreen lendi’, Veera Shankar would jokingly reply to the master lyricist.
29)The director wanted a beat like Tu Cheez Badi Hai Masth… from Mohra and he sat with Mani to get the tune done.
It was filmed in New Zealand as well.
30)As the director and his crew were on their way to Christchurch from Queenstown, they spotted some killer four wheelers, which they used for the rap part of the song.
The native Red Indians partook in the shoot.
31)Like Chiguraku Chaatu Chilaka, it was being filmed like a montage number.
Veera Shankar and Chota were unhappy with it as they wanted some dance moments in it.
Pawan relented and shook his leg for it eventually.
32)Coming to the soft melody Emantaro Naaku Neekunna.., which is a must on most playlists, Brinda choreographed it.
It’s another song, where Pawan looked like a dream boat, especially in the black outfit he sports in the initial portions of the song.
33)There’s a smooth flow of story in the song and it was majorly shot in the house set.
Even b4 it was filmed, the makers went to NZ to shoot Chittinadumune and Chiguraku.
While on the road, Veera Shankar spotted a beautiful apple orchard which caught his fancy.
34)He immediately said why not shoot for a portion in Emantaro as there is a provision.
Pawan said yes to it right away.
This portion was shot under one and half hours.
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35)The New Zealand schedule comprising 2 songs was planned for 8 days.
Veera Shankar was told that Pawan will take his own sweet time for songs.
But then the schedule was wrapped in 6 days. Brinda also choreographed Le Le Le… while Raju Sundaram did Chilakamma Mukkuki…
36)The film also had a title rap number which comes in the end credits.
Veera Shankar wanted a rap on Gu… Gu… Gudumba…
37)Mani asked the director to shoot the visuals of the song and that he will give the tune later.
He took it as a challenge to compose it.
In fact, the lyrics too were written after the song was shot. Pawan had a ball filming it.
38)4-5 months before Baahubali commenced, Veera Shankar considered doing Tiger Sitharamudu with Prabhas.
He got in touch with Prabhas’ aunt’s son who was with Gopi Krishna Pictures (Krishnamraju’s home banner) at that time. He liked the story.
39)Prabhas, however, wasn’t narrated it.
It’s another story that after Baahubali, Prabhas was on a different pedestal altogether.
40)Meera Jasmine wasn’t the first choice for the makers to play Gowri.
They initially thought of Shriya but she was busy, so was Trisha, the second choice.
41)Meera, who attained a great deal of craze because of Lingusamy’s Run, was approached later.
Her dates were readily available.
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