A passion for films brought two strangers together to make Gultoo

When Janardhan Chikkanna was looking for someone to produce his directorial debut, Gultoo, it helped that he had a friend, Prashant Reddy, from his college days, who was equally passionate about films and wanted to get into the field. “Janardhan and I were classmates in engineering college. Back then, both of us would often engage in lengthy conversations about films and while he pursued his passion and went to study filmmaking, I did what most engineers do — I took up a job in IT.But the desire to venture into films remained, although I wasn’t sure what to do. Many years later, when Janardhan met me and told me about his script for Gultoo, I was floored. I wanted to help him make it, but his budget was beyond what I could put together, so we decided to scout for a co-producer,” explains Prashant.
For this, Janardhan created a teaser video, which went viral and caught the attention of movie buff and entrepreneur Devaraj Ramanna. “The story was unique, but what was the real clincher for me was the fact that most people on the crew of film were graduates from the MGR Film and Training Institute in Chennai, which is very selective about the admission process. My first thought was that they must be talented,” says Devaraj.
Together, Prashant and Devaraj set up Vivid Films to make Gultoo, a production house that they are looking at carrying forward. “Prashant and I did not know each other before making this film. That we are looking at collaborating again is testimony to the fact that we have bonded well. From day one, there have been no misunderstandings between us and the team has worked as one unit, with the sole aim of making a quality product. We are looking at continuing this with our banner,” Devaraj signs off.