Ahead of the film’s release, Mazaka producer talks about his film and addresses rumors about his alleged differences with Sundeep Kishan
suresh kavirayani
Razesh Danda is a producer who has been making films with actors like Sundeep Kishan, Allari Naresh, Kiran Abbavaram and Sree Vishnu and he has been doing well. Out of his four films, Samajavaragamana was a huge hit, while Ooru Peru Bhairavakona turned out to be a profitable venture.
Now, he is coming up with a new film titled Mazaka, starring Rao Ramesh and Sundeep Kishan. The producer shared that he no longer wants to make experimental films and will focus on entertainment.
“I experimented with Itlu Maredumilli Prajaaneekam and Bachchalamalli, but both didn’t perform well commercially, though the first one earned me a good reputation,” said Razesh Danda. “So, I have decided not to take the experimental route in the coming days.”
Razesh had high hopes for Bachchalamalli, but it didn’t meet expectations. What went wrong? “I think the execution didn’t work,” he admitted. However, he is confident about Mazaka. “We screened the film for many of my friends, distributors and others, and everyone liked it. They all said that the entertainment and emotional quotient would definitely work for this film,” he said.
The film was initially set for a Sankranthi release in January but is now releasing on February 26 for Shivaratri. Was the last-minute rush a concern? “In the industry, many films are made with the release date in mind and my film was no different,” Razesh explained. “Sundeep Kishan was busy with three projects and coordinating dates for multiple actors caused delays in shooting.”
The trailer was released only on Sunday, just three days before the film’s release. “Actually, we released a song earlier, which is trending on top, so we delayed the trailer release,” he said. He added that if a film has strong content and positive word-of-mouth, people will come to theaters.
“For my earlier film Samajavaragamana, we released the trailer well in advance, but I believe the paid premieres held a few days before release contributed to its huge success. That’s why I’m planning paid premieres for Mazaka on Tuesday night as well,” he said.
There were reports that Bheems Cecirolio was the first choice for the film’s music. Razesh clarified, “From the beginning, we had Leon James onboard for the music.”
The producer believes Mazaka will be a big film for Sundeep Kishan. “It will perform better for him compared to Ooru Peru Bhairavakona,” he said. He also confirmed that the film is being released with table profits. When the script was first presented, Rao Ramesh was the immediate choice for the father’s role. “Then we were looking for another actor, and Sundeep Kishan agreed to do the film after hearing the story,” Razesh revealed.
Speaking about Mazaka, he said that the scenes between Rao Ramesh and Sundeep Kishan are definite highlights. “There’s a twist just before the interval that drives the second half of the film. There are also many emotional moments. But the unique aspect of this film is Rao Ramesh’s romance with a girl. We’ve never seen him in such a role before—it’s packed with entertainment and I’m sure people will love it,” he said.
The producer is planning a big release on Shivaratri. “Generally, big films don’t expect high collections on Thursdays, so I’m confident that my film will gain momentum over the weekend,” he said. Did the delay in production increase the budget? “Generally, for any film, the budget increases by around 10% beyond the estimated cost,” he stated.
Razesh is already planning a sequel to Mazaka. “Yes, we are planning it with the same director, and it’s going to be titled Double Mazaka,” he confirmed.
Regarding a sequel to Samajavaragamana, he said, “Yes, the director is currently working with Ravi Teja and after that, we will move forward with the sequel.”
As for his upcoming projects, Razesh revealed that two films are in the pipeline. “One is an action thriller with Samyuktha, and the other is a love story with Kiran Abbavaram,” he said.
There have been reports about differences between Razesh and Sundeep Kishan, allegedly causing delays in Mazaka. Will Sundeep Kishan be a part of the Mazaka sequel? “You shouldn’t ask that question,” Razesh responded. However, he added, “I want to continue making films with Allari Naresh, Sundeep Kishan and others.”
