Pawan Kalyan's Hari Hara Veera Mallu, which hit the screens last week, received a mixed response from the audience. The film was directed by Jyothi Krishna after director Krish Jagarlamudi chose to leave the project for various reasons.
Filmmaker Jyothi Krishna, who directed the recently released Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1-Swords vs. Spirit, offered frank thoughts on helming the historical action film. The director disclosed that Pawan Kalyan, who plays Veera Mallu in the movie, brought more than just fame to the set.
In an interview with The Times of India, the director opened up on a lot of things and here is what he shared.
Pawan Kalyan: The Director and the Actor
Jyothi Krishna described the filmmaking process as a "collective experience," adding that Pawan Kalyan's prior directing experience greatly enhanced it. He claimed to be an excellent director in addition to being a superb actor. The director emphasised how Pawan was especially involved in the action choreography of the movie. He choreographed a single action block that lasted roughly eighteen minutes. He is as proficient as any professional stunt master because of his extensive training in martial arts, Kalaripayattu, and other combat techniques.
Jyothi Krishna created intricate pre-visualisations and animations for additional scenes. It was similar to receiving approval from two or three different sources. He went on to say, "Once he liked something, he trusted the process and never interfered."
The director emphasised how grounded and approachable Pawan Kalyan was on set, despite his political prominence as Andhra Pradesh's deputy chief minister. He put us all at ease. Jyothi Krishna remarked, "It never felt like we were working with a powerful political figure—just a regular, grounded actor."
The climactic scene, which starred Bobby Deol, was hailed by Jyothi Krishna as one of his most satisfying career moments. The climax alone was shot with multiple stunt teams, locations, and full computer-generated imagery, and it cost over ₹15–20 crore. I was so happy to see it all come together on screen.
Despite being well-known for movies like Enakku 20 and Unakku 18, Jyothi Krishna acknowledged that he had always desired to create a period action drama. "My primary interest has always been in action-adventure genres, and I studied film in the UK." I gave it my all because this was my first opportunity," he said.
He added that even though Veera Mallu is a fictional character, she fights actual historical people like Aurangzeb. "This is reflected in the title 'Sword vs. Spirit'—Aurangzeb is the sword and Veera Mallu is the spirit," he clarified.
Oscar-winning music director MM Keeravani wrote the soundtrack for the movie. According to Jyothi Krishna, there are six songs in the film—two of which are performance numbers and four of which serve as background music. The emotional core of the movie is greatly enhanced by the music. Working with Keeravani sir makes me very happy," he continued.
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Hari Hara. According to a trading website, Veera Mallu, which debuted on July 24, has made over ₹80 crore in India during its seven-day run in theaters.
In addition to Pawan Kalyan, the film features important roles from Nidhhi Agerwal, Bobby Deol, Nargis Fakhri, Nora Fatehi, Jisshu Sengupta, Sunil Varma, and Sathyaraj.
A major turning point for Jyothi Krishna and Pawan Kalyan, Hari Hara Veera Mallu promises more in its possible sequel with a blend of grandeur, emotion, and star power.
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