Pradeep Maddali Interview: Vikkatakavi is visually breathtaking and thrillingly bold

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Vikkatakavi is Zee5's new Telugu web series, which will premiere on November 28, 2024. Director Pradeep Maddali speaks to us about directing the series, crazy visuals, what to expect, challenges in making a period drama, and working with the likes of Naresh Agastya and Megha Akash. Here is the transcript.

Pradeep Maddali interview on Vikkatakavi

How did this series materialize in the first place?

Vikkatakavi is penned by Teja, a young writer who has worked with HanuMan-fame Prasanth Varma. He approached Zee5 and they agreed to make his story in the form of a web series. As I have known Teja for some time now, he asked me whether I would direct the series. After I listened to the story, I loved it and took it as a challenge to direct Vikkatakavi within a specific budget.

How tough is it to make a series which has a period backdrop?

It has been a rewarding experience. Vikkatakavi is set in the time zones of 1940 to 1979s. So, right from the costumes to the production design, everything has to be perfect. If you see the trailer, every detail is taken care of. Recreating the sets, costumes, language, looks, lighting, and overall working mood from those eras was quite challenging but I loved every aspect of it.

Vikkatakavi has great visuals. Tell us more about it?

Not many know that a young cameraman named Shoaib shot the series. He is only one film old but has shot close to 200 Punjabi videos. Everyone was not that keen on having him on board but I believed in Shoiab's vision and the result is there for us all to see. The texture that we used for our series has been inspired by a Bengali film and today everyone is talking about it. Vikkatakavi will be truly a refreshing watch with a lot of crazy thrills.

Tell us about the making of the series?

We have shot the series mostly in Ramoji Film City and the Aluminium Factory in Hyderabad. A lot of CG has also been added to the final output. I can proudly say that no other series has been made on such a grand note with solid technical values in Telugu. Once the series comes out, I am sure everyone will talk about it.

What is Vikkatakavi all about?

Before India’s independence, numerous princely states spanned the country. Among them, Amaragiri represents a fictional estate in Telangana. The backdrop centers around a village destined to submerge upon completion of the Srisailam project. How a detective named Vikkatakavi comes to the village and tries to solve the mystery behind this issue.

What made you cast Naresh Agastya and Megha Akash?

When the project was locked, the makers approached a few heroes but they all rejected the show. When I stepped in, I suggested Naresh's name who was then working on Zee5's Paruvu. We narrated the story to Naresh and did a look test. He fits the bill perfectly as Vikkatakavi, the detective, and he has given his career-best performance. Megha Akash is seen as the granddaughter of Siju Menon, a doctor studying psychiatry.

Tell us more about the other cast in Vikkatakavi?

Apart from Naresh Agastya and Megha Akash, the series features Siju Menon, Raghu Kunche, Mukhtar Khan, Tarak Ponnappa, Ramya Ramakrishna, Ashok Kumar, and Amit Tiwari in key roles. Everyone has done a great job in the series. The title also has a significance. Vikkatakavi often brings to mind Tenali Ramakrishna, the poet who served as a spy for King Krishnadevaraya. Since our story's hero has similar qualities, Teja felt Vikkatakavi was a fitting title.

Will there be a Season 2 to Vikkatakavi?

Our writer, Teja is already on the job. He has made sure that there are enough thrills in the script and I have made sure that I narrate the series with a lot of depth. I am super confident that Vikkatakavi is one of the best series in recent times and everyone will talk about it more once it lands on Zee 5 on November 28, 2024.