Originated from a Telugu web series Brinda, titled by Trisha Krishnan, which will stream on Sony LIV on August 2, can be traced back to the time when writer-director Surya Manoj Vangala encountered incidents involving ritualistic, superstitious practices such as human sacrifice. “In 2015-16, I read about what happened in Uttar Pradesh. I then learned about certain practices in other regions as well. The highly polarized debate on this issue made me think,” said the debutant director, when met for an interview at a cafe in Hyderabad.
Set in a fictional city, Brinda traces the journey of its protagonist – Trisha as a police officer – investigating a series of such incidents. Rather, he examines questions that are not easy to answer, explained Surya.
Brinda is the culmination of years of writing and nurturing the director’s dream for Surya. Hailing from Visakhapatnam, he grew up in a family away from the film industry. His father works in an insurance company, while his mother is a housewife. Surya and his two older brothers are eager to learn. “One of my brothers joined IIT, the other joined BITS Pilani, and I joined. I was also interested in classical music and trained in Carnatic music. My interest in music made me curious about the stories behind the songs.
Academics for puppets
Surya Manoj Vangala (centre), on the sets of ‘Brinda’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements
While studying Information Systems at BITS Pilani, Surya was more attracted to cinema. “Going to class is not compulsory, so I often watch world cinema with my friends.” As his interest in cinema grew, he looked for opportunities to work in the industry. “I emailed directors Sekhar Kammula, Deva Katta, Ajay Bhuyan, and others, introducing myself as a student of BITS Pilani, hoping to attract their attention as they also come from an academic background.”
Surya was working in a car company in Chennai when he received a call from Anish Kuruvilla. He quit his job, moved to Hyderabad and joined director Anish’s team Ko Ante Koti. He then worked with Sekhar Kammula for Anamika and Hanu Raghavapudi for Krishna Gaadi Veera Prema Gaadha and Padi Padi Leche Manasuand with Ramesh Varma for Rakshasudu.
Learn from Sekhar Kammula, Hanu Raghavapudi
Surya watched the filmmakers and learned as much as he could. “In terms of ideas and ideology, I will try to imitate Sekhar Pak. In terms of technique, I will apply what I learned from Hanu Pak. For example, I learned how to conduct myself on set by watching Mr. Sekhar. The approach to life and work is holistic. If Hanu sir wants 24 moves in the scene, each move will be choreographed and the camera and lights will be placed accordingly; shots will be cut specifically for that movement.
Surya Manoj Vangala | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements
When Surya decided to go out on his own, it involved a long writing journey. “Usually a feature film would have a 120-page script, about one page for a minute of footage. I wrote over 400 pages, because I went deeper into the story.
Soon, screenwriter Padmavathi Malladi (who was part of the writing team Mahanati) came on board to help set the scene. Shashank Vennelaganti is the script consultant. “Also, some crew members and friends like Ashish Kolla (brother of production designer Avinash Kolla), dialogue writer Jay Krishna, music composer Shakti Kanth Karthick and lyricist Rakendu Mouli, gave me objective feedback.
Through the narration of Brinda, Surya attempts to address the debate about ritualistic practices and what defines a rational approach. “The writing went through several drafts and with time, I communicated some thoughts in brief. For example, the lines in the teaser – showing that our fight is not only against anger, hatred, and betrayal, but also not allowing the goodness inside us to disappear – initially is a page-long text; it is compressed in subsequent drafts.
Surya had originally planned Brinda as a feature film, but as he fleshed out his characters and story, the film evolved into a web series. With the help of his friend Ashish, he submitted it to Sony LIV in mid-2021. “The writing structure for a web series requires a prologue before the title credits in each episode, a beginning, middle, and end with a hook. It’s a good exercise in writing.”
fast execution
Trisha in ‘Brinda’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements
He narrated the story to Trisha in a detailed script. Although he was initially hesitant to take on the web series, he said he was hooked by the narrative and gave the nod. Soon, actors Ravindra Vijay, Indrajith Sukumaran, Anandsami and others came on board. Surya recalls a script reading session that involved each lead actor reading Telugu lines and giving suggestions to each other. “As a debutant, it was a dream to watch all these actors read and discuss my script.”
The preparation ensures that no time is wasted on set. Brinda go on the floor in October 2021. The cast and crew are working fast; at times, filming is worth five to six minutes of screen time in the day. “For a feature film, usually two minutes of footage will be filmed in one day,” he said. “Brinda involved 330 minutes in length, and we made this film in 76 days. Since this is an investigative drama, we often move locations and even then, keep the spirit alive,” added Surya, citing the production team and director and cinematographer Dinesh Babu. Brinda was filmed in Hyderabad, Pochampalli, and in Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.
The web series has garnered attention as it marks Trisha’s entry into the digital space, and Surya says her presence is an asset. “Trisha is a consummate professional; she brings out the nuances and makes it look effortless.
Surya is currently working on the script of the film and is waiting for feedback Brinda. “There was a time when I wondered if I was enjoying the writing process. In the meantime, some of my friends (Vivek Athreya, Sankalp, Ravi Kiran Kolla and Hasith Goli among others) went on to direct feature films. But it was an interesting journey.
