Trivikram Srinivas awaits the release of 'Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo' this January 12.  In this interview, the star director talks about the film, the experience of working with Allu Arjun, how he changed his style with 'Aravindha Sametha' after a disaster with Pawan Kalyan, the importance of elderly women in his movies, his beliefs and more.  

I overcame my fears with Tarak's movie

As a director makes more and more films, the amount of appreciation he receives comes down and expectations from him go up.  Because of this fear, one might grow apprehensive and become too fearful.  With 'Aravindha Sametha', I tried to fight with my fears.  After the failure of 'Agnyaathavaasi', many expected that I would do a hilarious entertainer.  I didn't do that.  I wanted to chase my fears and made a serious movie.  It didn't have too many commercial elements.  I didn't let my fears overtake me.

Discover your new strengths within

I am not scared of changing my tacks.  You have to use new weapons when it's imperative.  Sometimes, you will have to fight without any weapon.  You will have to discover new strengths.  That's what I have done with my 'Aravindha' and 'AVPL'. The big game of life is about overcoming your biggest fears.  

Audience are indeed gods

I don't take the love my films enjoy too seriously.  Audience love my films, not me.  That's why I am always detached.  If a film flops, it doesn't mean that the audience have started denying me.  Audience are like gods because, once the lights go off in the theatre, they forget their limited identities and soak themselves in cinema.  They cry, they laugh.  

Working on chartbuster songs

Don't assume that 'AVPL' is against fathers just because of the 'OMG Daddy' song.  The film has a different context.  As for the film's songs, they have become huge hits.  I am illiterate when it comes to music.  With 'Samajavaragamana', Thaman made me listen to the final tune directly.  There was no rough sketch or anything.  Once the title of the song was decided, Sirivennela garu took 45 minutes to complete the writing.  Bunny insisted that this has to be a part of the film in a big way.  

The ultimate war is with loved ones

'AVPL' will leave you in an elated mood. You will walk out of the theatre at the end with a sense of totality.  It's easy to handle someone you don't like, for example, a colleague you hate.  But if you have quarrels with your spouse, your sibling, it becomes too hard to handle.  Only if you mend fences will you feel normal.  Whether you are an Ambani or the Chief Minister, it's the war you can't handle easily when you have differences with your loved ones.  

Owner becomes slave

You are the owner of your script only during the writing stage.  Not after that.  Once you have penned the script, you are its slave.  There can't be any changes.  

Bunny is more focussed now

I don't see much of a difference in Bunny since 'Julayi'.  Back then, he was unmarried. During 'SOS', he was not yet a father.  And now, he is a father of two cute kids.  He has become far more focussed now.  He thinks about nothing but cinema.  

No sentiment

There is no sentimental reason behind 'A' or 'Aa' in my titles'. I have other sentiments but there is none in choosing titles.  

Characters demand the lines

If Bunny's character hails women in 'AVPL', it's not because I wanted to infuse it for the sake of it.  It suits the character.  In 'Khaleja', the fun moments generated between the lead pair led to some quirky lines.  That was demanded by the characterization of the hero.  

Home is my adda

I am a spontaneous writer.  I don't prefer to go to Goa or some other place, sit by the beach and write lines.  I do it in the comfort of my home, listening to the ordinary sounds of my home, made by my family members.  

Elderly women in my films have a social context

There is no element of class divide in 'AVPL', unlike in 'A Aa'.  Till about 1970s, women used to run so many things in families.  After migration to towns/cities increased, the role of women in families started coming down.  With this, patriarchal attitudes and disrespect towards women have increased in our society.  I like my 'Menattha' a lot.  That's why you see characters like Nadhiya's in 'Attarintiki Daredi'.  I can't show women in a degrading way in my women.  During weddings, the 'alludu' is seen as Vishnu and that's why his legs are washed.  Once elevated to the status of a god, how can he become a cheap person?  

Films on real-life clashes?  No

Why should I deal with big clashes in my films?  Newspapers are anyways full of them (laughs).  

Dialogues as per a situation

No film becomes a hit because of dialogues alone.  My dialogues click because they are hard-hitting in a given situation.  At times, I am surprised at my own films, scenes, lines.  While watching some very good movies, I at times feel jealous.  

Mahesh Babu's movie is different from ours

I don't want to talk about the clash between 'AVPL' and the other big film ('Sarileru Neekevvaru').  Going by the trailers of these movies, you know that the genres are totally different.  These films have two separate identities.  They both have their own soul.  

No mythological reference

Everybody has to accept that every story has some or the other similarity with some or the other character from the Ramayana or the Mahabharatha.  So, I wouldn't speak much about any shades of Karna's story as such in 'AVPL'.  

Reading literature

Some stories incidentally acquire relevance. If you write stories that are totally out of touch with contemporary times, it may backfire.  As for reading literature, I don't do it in the hope of spotting filmy ideas.  I enjoy reading and that's why I read.  

Have got strong beliefs

I believe in what thinkers like Sri Sri have said.  For you to get new results, you can't be doing things in the old way.  None of us can judge the lives of others.  We are not eligible to do that.  I don't talk about the struggles I had to go through because I have seen people who have been through worse.  What is my struggle in comparison?  Bhagat Singh was ready to die at 20.  What am I?