Open Letter on Happy Days

I would like to wish all the best for Shekhar Kammula's forthcoming movie. Just like any Telugu filmlover, I too have my "Wishlist for Shekhar", but I would like to express why I am compelled to write.

Telugu cinema hasn't made it to National audiences like Tamil cinema has, neither has it gained a certain classy character that Malayali/Bengali cinema has. 75 years of experience and we are at best evolving into a technically much forward version of Chattisgadh film industry.

At certain points in the 1980/90s, we've taken detours that have resulted in movies being made for certain economic sections of audiences, where numbers are high and quality is low. With Jandhyala, Bapu, K.Vishwanath, Ram Gopal Verma making apparent exits from the industry, a section of filmmaking has been sliced out.

Each time I watch a good Non-Telugu movie, I get the same feeling that every Telugu film goer gets - Why aren't our movies coming along? In his Vajrotsavam address, Megastar Chiranjeevi himself has spoken of such apathy - "Manam Bombay, Goa, Delhi daaka kooda vellalekapoyaam". So true!

On a Telugu person living in a multicultural society, all such thoughts take their toll. To me, its not at all funny to Watch "funny" Telugu videos of a South Indian hero ordering a train back with a slap on his thigh, or of a South Indian Star skidding his horse under an 18-wheeler. Responding to a popular argument that Tamil cinema too has its own share of eccentricities, it gives us no reason to do the same to our films too.

I would really love that it be people like Shekhar who represent Telugu film industry and our culture. It might be a little late, but it would be a wonderful thing if Happy Days releases with subtitles, at least in USA. Such Telugu Films need to be made available to a national audience. I watch Tamil/Malayalam/Hindi films and I can expect similar folks from other parts of India too.

As for the fate of the movie, re-quoting Al Pacino for Shekhar, "On any given Friday you're gonna win or you're gonna lose. The point is - can you win or lose like a man". We all know what Shekhar Kammula is. We all know what he is capable of. We all know how much he has done to our films with just a score of 3. And we all recognize he is human too.

A "straight from the heart" wish that Happy days gains loads of appreciation, scores of awards and tonnes of money. From my side - I am gonna own an original DVD of the movie, with subtitles - my investment in the future of our industry.

Sriram
sriram1707@yahoo.com

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