Adivi Sesh: ‘Corporate apathy’ hasn't penetrated Telugu cinema

Actor-director-writer Adivi Sesh, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film ‘Dacoit’, has spoken up on the strength of Telugu cinema.The actor spoke with IANS during the promotions of the film, and shared that unlike other film industries of India, Telugu cinema has a strong emotional core because it isn’t still ruled by the corporates.When asked what separates Telugu cinema from other industries of India, he told IANS, “I think emotional ownership. And I'll tell you what I mean by that. Telugu cinema till date is still produced by individual producers. Someone might have mortgaged a house and he's come to produce a film, someone sold a piece of land, and he's come to produce a film. Someone did well for himself in real estate or she's a doctor and she's come to produce a film. Whatever it may be. These are the people who are producing even our INR 300, 400, 500 crore films”.The actor further mentioned that films in Telugu are not produced by studios. He recollected having an argument with one of the people working for the studio.He continued, “I asked him, ‘Why don't you guys get it that this means so much to me. That was about some particular topic. And he couldn't take it anymore. So he just kind of just blew up and he said, ‘That's because we work for a paycheque, Sesh’. I was stunned. And I was like, ‘How could I be so foolish?’. I didn't realize it. And this man is a truly good man. And he's not a bad person at all. And he wanted to do a good job for the film. He said, the point is, and then he softly explained. He said, ‘my salary doesn't change. Nothing changes for me. Maybe a small extra bonus at the end of the year. But I have to deliver seven or eight such successful films before I'm considered for a promotion’. So what happens is because there is no emotional ownership in a film doing well, the system only looks forward to only making money”.“The fact that the apathy hasn't penetrated Telugu cinema, is why we have been able to dream of a Bahubali or dream of a ‘Kalki’ or dream of a ‘Pushpa’ because it's just individual guys just betting everything and putting it on the line. And that's the only difference, I think. Dare I say, the crews in Mumbai work even harder. So it's not like I see a difference. I think people are just as talented everywhere. That's been my learning. But working for yourself is different from working for someone else”, he added.