Makers of ‘Gatham’ on cloud nine as Dadasaheb Phalke Award fetes ‘ID’

‘Gatham’, the 2020 Telugu-language thriller film, was directed by Kiran Kondamadugula. The dark mystery thriller ‘ID’ is his latest film (which is yet to be released in theatres). Produced by Subhash Ravada and Bhargava Poludasu of ChitrOM Entertainments in collaboration with Harsha Pratap and Srujan Yarabolu of S Originals, the film has been on an award-winning spree.

What if you wake up one day and no one recognizes you? That’s the weird idea that is at the base of the story.

‘ID’, starring Bhargava Poludasu and Rakesh Galebhe (both of whom played the most important roles in ‘Gatham’), has won an award at the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival. The festival this year also witnessed two other Telugu movies receive recognition: ‘Balagam’ and ‘Sita Ramam’.

‘ID’, whose music is by ‘Kshanam’ and ‘Goodachari’ fame Sricharan Pakala, has cinematography by Horacio Martinez (ASC Mentee), production design by Caterina Piccardo (MFA), and editing by Chota K Prasad. Thanks to highly effective DI at Annapurna Studios and a terrific sound design/mixing by Sync Cinema, the final output is solid.

The film has been going great guns in the festival circuit. It has already secured 37 awards, besides amassing 31 official selections, 5 honorable mentions, and 4 nominations. The film tells the story of a flawed individual named Dev and another prime character. So far, 600 audience members have watched the movie in the US and Canada. The feedback is overwhelmingly positive.

When actor Rakesh Galebhe read the script, he found the situations narrated in it spine-chilling. Doing a multi-dimensional scene wherein he emotes multiple emotions was not easy. “‘ID’ is making its Canada Premiere at the Oakville Festivals of Film and Art, which is a qualifying festival for the Canadian Screen Awards (similar to the Oscars in the USA),” the makers said.

The organic success of ‘Gatham’ instilled confidence in the team, making their resolve to make content films stronger. The producers of ‘ID’ decided to make the film after listening to the roller-coaster of a screenplay. Talents from both Tollywood and Hollywood were roped in.

The film will lock its release date soon.