Will make Hyderabad the country’s film capital?

P Ram Mohan Rao recently took charge as the Chairman of Telangana State Film Development Corporation. He shares his vision to see Hyderabad as the best destination for film investors and ticketing of all movies online

HYDERABAD: In a white crisp shirt, tirelessly meeting and talking to people in his eloquent style at his office is P Ram Mohan Rao. He recently took charge as the Chairman of Telangana State Film Development Corporation and his vision is to make Hyderabad, a place for all the film investors and make ticketing of movies online. “We want to come up with 300-acre studio property. We want to get investors from major filmmaking areas like Bengal, Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and we want all film shooting to be done here. You have Hindi and English speaking people here, cosmopolitan culture and lovely food and the best place to settle in. We want it to come up in the vicinity of the airport. I want all south Indian and even Hindi films to be shot here in Hyderabad”, he informs with undeterred passion.

The career journey

He started his career as an exhibitor in 1986 while he was doing his Masters in Sociology from the University of Hyderabad. He discontinued and joined films as an executive. He started distribution in 1992 and there was no looking back. In 1995, he ventured into producing films. “I became the Secretary in 1995, then I became president of TS film chamber. I have produced 25 films, distributed 250 films, of which 50 are English and Hindi films. I was last with Karvy’s sister concern called Multi-Dimensional. We have done a lot of films through that,” he shares about his journey.

Supporting the above statement, he walks down the memory lane, “I hail from a tribal area in Adilabad. We were into agriculture. My siblings studied in Warangal. I finished my Class X in my village and moved to Hyderabad for college. Then I did my BSc Agriculture, then joined MA Sociology in central university, which I discontinued. I had some time so I thought I would do something before getting into business.”

The turning point in his life that made him enter the world of films, despite having no guidance whatsoever, came when he was speaking to his friend who had leased a theatre. “I took over the lease from him, then took all the theatres in that town, made a monopoly and ran the show. This was at a place called Jagitial and by 1990, I was running 50 theatres which was a big number at that time.” He recalls how this business was in stark contrast to that of his family’s which was largely into agriculture and small contracts, but there was no looking back. He eventually diversified into film exhibition, distribution and finally, production.

“We were first generation. There was a lot of difficulty moneywise. We had no idea of making films or which genre will work out. Slowly we learnt what filmmaking is. For a film to be successful, your idea should be different and you should think out of the box”, he explains. Breaking the trend of producers just pitching in money and having the actors and directors do all the work, P Ram Mohan Rao always gets involved in the filmmaking process and contributes his own ideas along with funds. Adding to the list of producers who also follow this method of film production, he tells us, “It’s your money. Hence, you have to be careful. There are some people like Rama Naidu, Gururaju, Arvind who have an idea about what kind of film should be made and who would be the right actor.”

Bringing movies closer

Drawing from his vast experience, he is glad that actors over the years have become more professional and reach that films have today thanks to technology. “A film can go from India to the US within minutes. Even within the country, it is possible. Arjun Reddy is getting remade in Hindi so quickly. Previously, we had to go all the way there, narrate the film and then they’ll say if it will work out or not in their industry”, he informs, adding that overbudgeting of movies due to big heroes is a bane even today.

He believes that hero-centric films are here to stay for a few more years, but is positive that the trend will change. “Whichever ideas catch on fast, producers want to put money there. But if you’re coming up with a good story for women, it can be done. Ultimately it’s the writer and producer who can make changes. Vijaya Shanti was called Lady Superstar. They were writing stories like that for her. She has been there for 28 years. Anushka is making films like that now,” he says, hoping that women will have stronger roles in upcoming films.

He wraps up with his strong belief that it is not money, but good ideas that make good films. “It is the toughest business”, he adds with the hope that filmmaking will soon come out of long-running stereotypes and reach greater heights.