Krishna wanted to make a film with NTR. NTR openly announced his next film was with Krishna and that’s how ‘Devudu Chesina Manushulu’ got off. Hanumantha Rao provided the story and we shot the film in Benguluru, Mysore and the climax in Machilipatnam. We planned with a natural crowd and also roped in people from Vijayawada, who were popular for dappu music, especially for Dasara festival. NTR advised us that it is not possible with huge crowds, so suggested shooting in a studio, but Hanumantha Rao said it is possible. Seven days shoot was done in Machilipatnam and I asked Rama Rao where to accommodate him. He then told me, ‘You are all coming to my native place and you are asking for my accommodation. No, you tell me the shooting place and time, I will be there.’ He stayed in his own village Nimmakuru all the days of shooting. While shooting, we planned his birthday in a big way. But Rama Rao did not agree to it and asked all the units to come to his native place for lunch and celebrate there. He arranged great hospitality to every unit member and it’s one of the memorable ones for us. The film was completed and released on August 9, 1973. It was another blockbuster from our production house.
