Comedians, the only saving grace in Telugu movies!!!

Name any recent Telugu film and you’ll see Bramhanandam, M.S. Narayana, Ali or Sunil hogging all the limelight in the promos. Comedians in Telugu movies have become so indispensible that they are not just relegated to a parallel track, but are sharing equal screen space with heroes now. Blame it on poor story lines, lack of good content or just the need for more laughs in such trying times, but fact remains that comedy has become the only “saving grace” in Tollywood films now.

Be it the NTR-starrer Adurs or Venkatesh-starrer Namo Venkatesha, Bramhanandam enjoys the status of “second hero.” The veteran comedian, who is touted as the biggest attraction of every film he acts in, says, “Today, no movie can be made without comedy. Its prominence is increasing with every release and the making the audience laugh has become the biggest aim. I’ve been flooded with offers lately and to put a tab on the number of films I take up, I’ve increased my remuneration now.”

Agreeing with Bramhanandam are other popular comedians in the industry who attribute this trend to the changing needs of the audience. Noted comedian and character artiste AVS, says, “Audience these days don’t come to theatres for sentimental movies or to shed tears. All they want is sheer entertainment and relief from everyday stress. Comedy offers that relief and that’s why we are in demand.”

With their popularity fast growing, their pay cheques have shot up too. Bramhanandam is said to have been paid a neat Rs 1 crore for Adurs and Rs 80 lakh for Namo Venkatesa. These funny men have become the stars of the film’s promotional campaigns too.

Director Jaya, who is soon coming up with a comedy movie, Double Dhamaka, says,

“Comedy is one of the biggest success formulas for movies these days. Earlier heroes like Rajendra Prasad and Chandramohan did only comic flicks. These days, other than Allari Naresh, there are no other actors who are dedicated to this genre. No wonder then that there is a growing demand for comedians. Audience have had enough of melodrama now and they just want some laughs.”

Director Chandrasekhar Yeleti, whose film Prayanam struck a chord with the audience because of its comic track, says, “Comedy has great commercial viability and its importance is just growing. It can be said that comedy is the hottest trend in Tollywood right now.”
Many filmmakers however, blame this trend on lack of good plots too.

Director Sreedhar Reddy, says, “When the story isn’t strong, filmmakers use comedy to fill the gap and keep the audiences engaged. Comedy should be a part of the movie and not forced. I feel that directors are introducing comic scenes every 10 minutes of the film, to make up for the lack of a good story.”