Post the success of Mad Square, director Kalyan Shankar shares his feelings and excitement about it
suresh kavirayani
The film Mad became a super success and now its sequel, Mad Square, has turned out to be an even bigger hit. Director Kalyan Shankar, overwhelmed by the response, said, “After seeing the first-day collections, I never expected the film to collect such huge numbers.”
He noted that while the first part primarily appealed to the youth due to its college backdrop, Mad Square has managed to attract a broader audience. “In Mad Square, families, women and kids are enjoying it a lot. The first one was limited to youth, but I’m happy that the sequel is being watched by everyone,” he shared.
When asked which film he prefers, he said, “The first one is special because it was my debut, but as a writer, I love the second one more.”
The director also received praise for balancing all the characters effectively. “Many people complimented me, saying I managed to give equal importance to all the characters within the stipulated two-hour runtime,” he said.
He credited the camaraderie among lead actors Narne Nithin, Sangeeth Sobhan and Ram Nithin for adding to the film’s success. “These three became thick friends, which worked really well for my film. In the first part, Narne Nithin took some time to blend in, but by the second one, their bond was natural, which was a huge plus,” he explained.
Kalyan Shankar acknowledged that Satyam Rajesh’s comedy scenes were inspired by Hello Brother, starring Nagarjuna. He also admitted that Mad Square shares similarities with films like DJ Tillu and Jaathi Ratnalu. “The genres might be similar, but the stories are completely different,” he clarified.
He further stated that while Mad 2 is fictional, some comedic moments are inspired by real-life people around him.
The film features music by two composers, Bheems Ceciroleo and S. Thaman. “The Sankranthiki Vasthunnam songs were a hit and Daaku Maharaj had an excellent background score. So, we requested Thaman to compose the background score for the Goa episode to create a distinct feel,” he revealed.
On whether he wants to cash in on the success of Mad, he said, “We’d love to continue the franchise, but a strong story is essential. If we don’t have a compelling narrative, people won’t watch it. The first part had realistic characters, but for the sequel, I wrote a crime comedy and took cinematic liberties. Without those, it would have turned into a serious thriller instead of a comedy.”
He emphasised that if another sequel is made, it must include the same lead trio. “We can’t replace them with others; it may not work out,” he said.
Kalyan Shankar previously worked with director Sriram Aditya on Hero and also collaborated with Vijayendra Prasad, the father of SS Rajamouli. “I’ve made short films and a web series,” he shared.
Initially, he struggled to find producers for a serious film he had written. “For three years, I ran around with a serious film called Dream, but no one was interested. I realized that comedy works best, so I decided to pursue that,” he explained.
Kalyan Shankar has now landed a big project with Ravi Teja. “The film will begin in August. It’s a superhero backdrop story that requires extensive pre-production. It’s not a sci-fi film but a completely fictional story,” he said.
Discussing his strength as a filmmaker, he said, “Whether it’s comedy or emotion, it should come unexpectedly—that’s what makes it click. That’s my strong point and it should always feel convincing.”
On his personal preferences, Kalyan Shankar said he enjoys comedy the most. “I want to work with all actors and be successful. My personal favourite actor is Pawan Kalyan and my dream is to direct a film with him. But he is very busy with politics,” he shared.
