Jathara is a forthcoming venture starring and directed by Satish Babu Ratakonda, with Deeya Raj as the heroine. Produced by Radhakrishna Reddy and Shiva Shankar Reddy under Radha Krishna Productions in collaboration with Movie Tech LLC, the film promises a raw and intense drama based on a unique point that hasn’t been explored before. Set against the backdrop of Chittoor district, Jathara is scheduled for release on the 8th of this month. Meanwhile, during the interaction with the media, Satish Babu Ratakonda shared highlights about the film.
Our mythology tells us that God plays with humans like puppets. In contrast, in this story, a man plays with God. The core plot revolves around how the hero saves the Goddess from this manipulation. We depict how a human, transformed into a demon, captures the Goddess, while another man, a divine figure, fights to rescue the Goddess. This film blends fiction with real events, and while it could raise controversies if made as a documentary, I felt we could creatively express it as a movie that audiences would appreciate.
The hero’s character exists in three dimensions, with love serving as a medium for his transition from one phase to another. Thus, there is also a beautiful love story in this narrative. We focused on high-quality sound design, aiming for a natural soundscape reminiscent of the village ambience found in the films of Jandhyala.
I completed the script for Jathara in 2016. Unexpectedly, I met the producer at an event where we shared our ideas. He liked the concept and discussed it with his family, who also responded positively, leading to the project’s initiation. The producers, Radhakrishna Reddy and Shiva Shankar Reddy, offered tremendous support in making this film.
The Goddess’s temple is located in the Madanapalle area of Chittoor district, where people from 18 surrounding villages come to worship. Over a year and a half, we interacted with locals and conducted research to craft the script. Gangamma, the Goddess, is revered with great devotion by the Telugu people, and Jathara is a film that pays tribute to her.
Initially, we planned to cast a big star in Jathara, but we struggled to reach out to them even after six months of effort. As a result, I took on the role of the hero myself. Although there was a proposal to include padding artists, I declined, believing that a story rooted in local culture should feature local actors. We also sought a Telugu-speaking heroine but couldn’t fit one within our budget, so we cast Deeya Raj, who performed excellently.
Our film received significant support from Movie Tech, a company that works on films in the US and UK. They provided technical assistance during shooting alongside Alex Graphics.
I aspire to continue in the industry as both an actor and director, driven by my passion for filmmaking. I’ve been inspired by many directors, and it was this inspiration that led to the making of Jathara. I firmly believe that if the film is good, audiences will embrace it. I look forward to working on more exciting projects soon.