R P Patnaik has tried his hand at many departments of filmmaking, as an actor, director, singer, composer and even a producer. Tadhastu which marks his first directorial attempt in the digital space is a short film starring Suma, Ravi Varma, Sunitha among others. The 20-minute short film that takes a look at orphanages beyond donations and token initiatives, has gone viral and the director is receiving messages talking of its impact.
Why a short film? “This story was more suited for a short film than a full length feature. Reaching out to the audiences is my focus, regardless of the format/medium.” Point out that actor Ravi Varma, singer Sunitha Updrastha and anchor Suma Kanakala aren’t conventional choices for this format and he responds, “Even I don’t come from a short film background, you reach more audiences when you’re more authentic. The faces through which you convey a message are equally significant. I thought people will genuinely listen to what they say.” Given that Suma and Sunita are household names, he feels Telugu people treat them as their own.
The film also throws light on how donations may not reach the actual target of orphanages and how middlemen misuse funds. “If we give ₹100 to an organisation, a donor has no clue where the money goes eventually. I’m not saying the money isn’t reaching the target, but a majority of it is being diverted for personal benefit.” Tadhastu was rewarding for him as it inspired many viewers. “The prospect of celebrating in orphanages is something that’s happening practically. Some films can really bring about change, visuals create a strong impact. I am happy to have made a small contribution.”
Tadhastu merely continues Patnaik’s penchant for making message-driven films that talk about social ills in a serious tone. He says, “There’s no bigger satisfaction than reflecting the society through the work I do. That I rely on society to get stories is also a reason behind this.”
Budgets are often the biggest constraint for a short film, but he was lucky to find a producer like Kiran Pasupuleti. “He ensured I had monetary and creative freedom.” Incidentally, since the film was promoting a noble cause, the cast didn’t take any remuneration.
Meanwhile, Patnaik comes up with the occasional indie music video too, enjoying the freedom to do something minus commercial constraints.
Patnaik is also in talks for a web series whose production work will take off soon. He is convinced web series is the future, in a few years from now, feature films will only star the bigger heroes. “Mobile data is set to become free in the coming years, so people will invariably depend on web for content. It’s important to sail with the trend. Yet, one has to be wise to know which story needs what kind of an audience,” he says, adding even web series portals look for certain equations when they make content, like how actors do so for films, “It’s a tricky space to be in.”