Can you tell us about your journey into filmmaking?
Director Kashyap Srinivas: I started during my college days around 2010 when short films became popular. Initially, I wanted to become an actor and went for auditions, but rejections were quite common. That’s when I decided to explore filmmaking through short films. During that process, I developed interest in writing, directing, and editing. I worked on short films and web series, and eventually got opportunities in films. Now, I’m making my debut as a director with Gayapadda Simham.

Why did you choose Tharun Bhascker for the lead role?
Director Kashyap Srinivas: This story doesn’t need a typical hero. The character is written in such a way that when he behaves like a hero, the audience should find it funny. Tharun Bhascker perfectly fits that space. All the characters in the film take their lives very seriously, but from the audience’s point of view, it becomes comedy.

What is the significance of the Balakrishna reference in the film?
Director Kashyap Srinivas: We used the dialogue “Navvaku… Idi Serious Matter,” which is associated with Nandamuri Balakrishna. Also, the title has “Simham,” which reminds people of his powerful image. Using such a strong reference for a contrasting character like this adds humor and relatability.

Can you share some details about the story?
Director Kashyap Srinivas: The story is about a guy who goes to the US for love but gets deported and comes back to India. Because of that frustration, the decisions he takes create a lot of fun. J. D. Chakravarthy plays Dharma, a character involved in illegal activities, and the way these two characters meet is very interesting.

How was your experience working with the producers?
Director Kashyap Srinivas: I initially thought this would be a small film, but the producers wanted to do justice to the story and made it on a bigger scale. They supported my vision and gave me the right cast. In fact, the final output came out even better than what I had imagined.

The film is said to be a dark comedy. What can audiences expect?
Director Kashyap Srinivas: In films like Money, characters think they are heroes. Similarly, in this film, every character feels like a hero. That itself creates humor. There is all kinds of comedy—dialogue-based, situational, visual, and action-based comedy.

How did you manage working with multiple directors in the film?
Director Kashyap Srinivas: It actually became an advantage working with multiple directors. Since they understand filmmaking, everything went smoothly. Tharun Bhascker is very friendly and even makes jokes about himself, which created a comfortable environment on set.

You also acted in the film. How did that happen?
Director Kashyap Srinivas: I didn’t plan to act initially, but the team insisted that I should do the role. It turned out to be a full-length character, so I eventually agreed and acted in the film.

There is a Trump reference in the film. Can you explain?
Director Kashyap Srinivas: The Trump reference is purely for comedy. The character was written earlier, and later the timeline was adjusted to include it in a humorous way.

What can you tell us about the female leads?
Director Kashyap Srinivas: Manasa Choudhary plays a role that creates a problem in the protagonist’s life, while Faria Abdullah appears in the present timeline.

Is there any possibility of a sequel?
Director Kashyap Srinivas: Yes, there is definitely scope for a sequel, and we are considering that idea.

All The Best!
Director Kashyap Srinivas: Thank You.