Since Dinakar Thoogudeepa revealed his latest directorial project, Royal, featuring Viraat and Sanjana Anand in the main roles, the spotlight has been on the duo as they hit the streets promoting the film and the catchy Tang Tang song. This has led many to think that the movie is a romantic drama. However, Dinakar clarifies in a brief chat with OTTPlay that Royal actually focuses on the relationship between a mother and her son, just ahead of its release on January 24.

This week, we dropped a new track titled Nooru Koti Devaru, and it really opened people's eyes to the fact that the story is about more than just the romance between Viraat and Sanjana. Audiences are starting to see how important the mother’s role is in the whole narrative. Chaya Singh, who you might remember from Bhairathi Ranagal, takes on the mother’s character, Dinakar shares.

Dinakar is considering Royal as his next project to direct

Dinakar didn't originally plan for Royal; it came about after the passing of Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar. He shares, “I had been working on the story for about a year and a half and had a complete script ready when we lost Puneeth. I was still figuring out my next steps when producer Jayanna approached me about directing a film with Viraat, since he had a five-film deal with him. I thought it would be a fun and challenging experience to work with a newcomer, something I hadn't done since Jothe Jotheyalli.”

He goes on to say that working with a fresh cast today means he had to step up his filmmaking game. “One major change I've noticed is that budgets have significantly increased, even for films featuring newcomers. Royal was made with a budget of Rs 15 crore. Nowadays, we’re aiming for a release in at least 200 theaters, which is quite impressive, so the storytelling and presentation need to match that level,” he notes.

The filmmaker shares that the toughest part is grabbing the attention of the audience away from their phones and getting them engaged in a live show. “People will only hit the theater if your story and how you tell it is fresh and thrilling. You can never underestimate your audience; they’re clever and can catch on to what you’re hinting at even before you get there. It’s a thrilling challenge for a filmmaker to spark curiosity in the audience, and that’s what attracted me to Royal,” Dinakar explains.

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