Movie: Alludu Seenu
Director: V.V Vinayak
Cast: Bellamkonda Srinivas, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Brahmanandam, Prakash Raj, Pradeep Rawat, Tanikella Bharani, Tamannah Bhatia
Rating: *
A young boy (Bellamkonda Srinivas) in his 20s goes to his highly successful producer father (Bellamkonda Suresh) and tells him that he wants to become a hero. The father decides to have a larger-than-life launch pad for him. He calls one of his protégés (V.V Vinayak) and discusses the idea of making a film with his son. The following conversation must have happened between them.
Father: My son is ready. He wants to become a hero. He’s your responsibility now.
Director: That’s wonderful but I’m on the verge of starting my next film. Can’t this wait?
Father: Absolutely not! Remember I gave you a break in the industry, you’re first film was funded from my pocket? (Suresh produced Vinayak’s first film Aadi)
Director: How can I forget that? I owe you my career.
Father: Good. Let’s make this film then. Budget shouldn’t be a problem. Make sure my son has the best launch.
Director: But I need time to pen a story!
Father: Don’t worry about that. Let’s bring Kona Venkat on board, ask him to rewrite one of his old stories with some minor changes. He can do it. He’s been doing it for so many years now.
Director: Good idea. But shouldn’t your son undergo a crash course in acting?
Father: Why? Audiences don’t pay money to see him act. They pay money for entertainment. Let’s just concentrate on roping in a pretty actress.
Director: Makes sense. Which actress do you have in mind?
Father: Samantha? She’s pretty and has been successful lately.
Director: She’s been acting with top heroes? I don’t think she will agree to work with your son.
Father: Don’t worry about that. We’ll pay a hefty sum and convince her. (She is eventually signed for the project)
Director: What about the rest of the cast? We should definitely have Brahmanandam.
Father: Most definitely! We can’t take chances without him. (He is eventually signed and turns out to be the saving grace of the film)
Director: Let’s include an item number as well. What say?
Father: Good idea. Let’s cast someone sexier than our heroine. I don’t mind paying her a bomb!
Director: Tamannah. I will request her to do this song and I’m sure she won’t refuse. (She is eventually signed as well. We lose the respect we had for her)
Father: We’ve already spent too much time discussing. I’m leaving rest of the casting to you. Have a few prominent comedians, villains and we should definitely go abroad for songs. My son has never gone out of the country.
Director: Let’s explore Sharjah this time. I’ll have Prakash Raj in a dual role.
Father: Most important. The title should have my son’s name in it. Think of something very catchy?
Director: Let’s call it ‘Alludu Seenu’. His character’s name would be Seenu (short for Srinivas) and he gets to marry the daughter of a Bhai and becomes his alludu (son-in-law).
Father: Very good. I like how creative you’ve become over the years. Who could’ve thought of such a catchy title?
Director: When do we start shooting?
Father: Soon. By the way, I want you to have some awe-inspiring stunts for my son. He should make Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan look like clowns with his action. Take special care about it.
Director: You don’t have to worry. I’ll take extra care about it. I’ll watch a few Hollywood action films if I need to.
Few months later, the film is made and has been released in maximum number of cinemas. “Alludu Seenu”, which narrates a done to death story in the most clichéd format possible, is the story of a blessed son with no talent.
First published in IANS.
