Raj Rachakonda, renowned for his directorial debut Mallesham, is set to release his second film 23, which is hitting theaters this Friday. Mallesham (2019), a biopic of Chintakandi Mallesham, garnered attention for its real-life inspiration. After a gap of six years, Raj is back with 23, a film inspired by true events from the 90s in Andhra Pradesh.
Discussing the film, Raj revealed that it is based on a tragic bus accident that occurred in Chilakaluripet, Guntur district, where two individuals set a bus on fire. Out of the 32 passengers, 23 lost their lives, and 9 survived. The film’s central narrative explores the lives of the two individuals responsible for the fire. “The tragic incident claimed 23 lives, which is why I chose the title 23,” Raj explained. The director also mentions the inclusion of two other significant events in the film — the Tsunduru massacre of 1991, where eight Dalits were killed by an upper-caste mob, and the Jubilee Hills bomb blasts near the Rama Naidu Studio, where 23 people were killed.
“The focus of my film, however, remains on the Chilakaluripet incident. While I’ve touched upon the Tsunduru case and the Jubilee Hills bombings, the main story is about the two individuals who were responsible for the bus fire,” Raj said.
The film has received an ‘A’ certification from the censor board, but Raj expressed his frustration over the cuts made, particularly those involving blood scenes. “Over the years, films with intense violence and gore have been released without similar scrutiny, so it’s disappointing to see a different standard applied to smaller films,” he said.
