May 13, 2012 Y. Sunitha Chowdhary
Even after two years after it's release we still have people listening to Ye Maaya Chesave on the FM in the cars, but sadly neither the music nor the film Ekk Deewana Tha could repeat that kind of a success the Telugu and Tamil versions did. Director Gautam Vasudev Menon looks a tad disappointed but quickly reacts, "I think the film didn't run because I didn't cast Samantha. Also I don't think even people ever came to see the film, I can understand if the film ran for ten days and people said they didn't like it..but they didn't even find the music and promos appealing like they found it here.
It's not even that I got tired making it, the day I get tired I will retire even if it means I'm making the same film thrice. It's like the universe telling you not to gloat, don't think too much of yourself."
Gautham adds that the fact that it was drawn from real life made it look very real and reminisces, "When YMC came out the best compliment came from ANR, he said he had jumped over the gate for a girl, he was reminded of his younger days. I try and draw something from real life and make every scene look like this could happen to you. This one Yeto Vellipoyindi Manasu is not a sequel but encompasses their entire childhood and young life starting from six years old and goes to when they are 25-30 years old.
YMC could have been a part of it. It talks of two people who like each other, how they fight, how they do not talk to each other for a few days and then there is this wanting to be with the person again and they come back again letting their ego go..it happens across different age groups..they break up and they come back again..go for a year or two and break up again..it happens with everybody..everything in it is Gautham's. I put myself in the character and draw from my own life and it's definitely a lot me actually."
Nani who is currently shooting for a Krishna Vamsi film is seen without a moustache, ask him if it has anything to do with the recent release 3, he quips, "We saw the poster of 3 and had some apprehensions..but later when we saw the film we were too happy, it's no way related to the film. We are classmates and we grow together. The caption, 'This could be your love story' is so apt. When I heard the story I could relate to it and so did all those who heard it.
One scene might not be there but definitely there will be one which will remind you of your love life. Since there are 3 phases, at least one age group will relate to it."
The actor questions, "Don't I look good without a mouch? It's for a school portion in a uniform. It was fun but I found it difficult to continue the looks as there was a strike and the time got wasted. For school, I got chubby and then lean for college, with every schedule it got difficult."
Samantha might have done a lot more films after YMC but none made her look as beautiful as Gautam did. The director says even her performance was a revelation. "Every single dialogue, a nuance shows she has matured. When I saw her I decided I would cast her in only in the Telugu version of Yeto Vellipoyindi Manasu because she is so popular in Andhra but later seeing her dialogue and diction I decided to have her in all the three languages and roped in the biggies as heroes from the three languages.
My next film is with Vijay then Suriya followed by Ajith. I'm also looking to do a film with Allu Arjun and Mahesh Babu."
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