For once he said, “Dollar Dreams” is for the weak-minded, he had this conviction in his mind. To bid adieu to Silicon Valley at the height of a software boom in 2000, one must be really a gusto man. We all now know that Sekhar Kammula is made of a different stuff altogether. The tenderness and the serenity his on-the-screen characters display hardly show this ‘Anand’ man’s true feelings! And, ‘Happy Days’ just didn’t happen to him in a day. He literally swam across ‘Godavari’ to prove this point.
“Think differently” is his success mantra in life. “One should know what he/she wants to do in life” is his message to the present genre. In a chat with “The Career Guide”, Generation Next director Sekhar Kammula spoke about his life, films and much more.

The Career Guide: From Silicon Valley to the tinsel world… how the journey began?

Sekhar Kammula: I always wanted to do something different in life. To start with, I am an average student. Like many others, I did my engineering from the CBIT Institute. And after completion of my engineering, like all my friends, I did take the routine formula of success.... Like, I went through GATE, GRE etc. But, since childhood days, I always had this feeling that I should do something different. Though I went to the USA to do my MS and joined in a software firm, certainly my focus was elsewhere. To be frank, I personally felt that 9-t0-5 job is not for someone of my types.
Personally, I think I got a good visual presentation. I love nature, people, emotions and tender feelings. I can visualize these things in my mind. So, I had this firm belief that I can present them in a different perspective. In this backdrop, though I took up a software job, I always wanted to pursue something else. After a couple of years in the job, I got admitted into MFA (Master of Fine Arts) at the Howard University, Washington DC. That’s where my journey began.

And within a few days into the course, I know I am at the right place. Somewhere I had this notion that I am doing really well and that kept me going.

TCG: And, quitting the software job happened soon after..

Sekhar Kammula: It’s not an easy decision. There was a software boom. To be frank, it was the best time for the software industry. And, everyone flocking to the USA for a job in the software industry. I was doing quiet the opposite thing - travelling in the other direction. It’s a very tough decision to make. But I had this strong belief that I can be successful in this sphere as well.

TCG: Did you face any opposition from your family, since it’s a very tough decision?

Sekhar Kammula: No, not as such. All my family members and my friends were very supportive in my case. Initially, there were some apprehensions about my decision to quit the software job. But I could overcome all that.

TCG: Do you think that movie industry has a certain amount of responsibility in serving the society as it’s such a powerful media?

Sekhar Kammula: To some extent, yes. But, it’s a commercial world. Since they will be putting in a lot of money, it’s obvious they expect good returns from their investments. I strongly believe that movies can’t only preach. They need to cater to their commercial benefits as well. It’s a tricky and difficult situation. Somewhere one should try to draw a line, balance things. I think, they should tell people more about the positives. Instead of showing the negative aspects of life, better they avoid all this stuff and restrict themselves to positive side of things. If you keep showing about the negative aspects,  over a period of time people will get such an impression as if it’s the right thing to do. Like the college environments...the teachers are shown in a bad taste in almost all the films. This sort of things will give a distorted image about the teachers in general public. People tend to get carried away by these things. They develop a bad taste about the teachers and college as a whole.

TCG: Something about Dollar Dreams?

Sekhar Kammula: After coming back to India, I took up a job at Citicorp. And I worked there for a few months. ‘Dollar Dreams’ was a small project. In fact, I took three months leave to complete the Dollar Dreams project.

TCG: How did you manage the finances of the film?

Sekhar Kammula: I didn’t have much problem with the Dollar Dreams, since it was a low-budget film. I managed with my own finances initially. But, Anand was a big budget film. I resigned from my job at that time. My friends and family members helped me a lot to make this film.

TCG: Did you expect Anand would be a big-hit?

Sekhar Kammula: Anand is a dream film for me. The film was many ways different from the current crop of films. I tried to show the characters in a different manner. The sensitive feelings.. etc. The film as a whole looks refreshing. And, that’s why I think people accepted this film.

TCG: Your thoughts on Happy Days. What went into making of this film?

Sekhar Kammula: There were many films made on students and college environment etc. But in all these films, I felt something  was missing. Besides, in almost all the films, you find the students and teachers portrayed in a bad taste, ridiculing college environment. This is not realistic. So, I wanted to give a fresh look. I wanted to show it in a different way altogether.

TCG: Can you eloberate more on this?

Sekhar Kammula: Happy Days says a lot about friends, helping each other. Teachers helping the students in building their careers and seniors contributing to the juniors and the college enviornment was given a fresh treatment in the film. Now, there’s a change in the peoples’ perception about the college as a whole. Even the new-entrant students are thinking differently about their seniors and teachers as well. After all the brick-bats that teachers got in some films, it’s a welcome change. I’m happy with that. These are some positives I wanted to project through my films. I am satisfied with that. And for me personally, Happy Days is about 60 to 70 realty and 30 percent about dream or ideal world. I am fully satisfied with the project and it’s success as well.

TCG: Is there any sequel to Happy Days in the making?

Sekhar Kammula: Yeah, there are a lot of expectations, particularly from the youngsters after the success of the Happy Days. I wanted to give something back to the youngsters as well. I know, there is a lot responsibility on me now. But, I have not yet made any decision on the subject for my next film.

TCG: Looking back, what are the qualities you attribute yourself for the success of your films?

Sekhar Kammula: In eight years time, I could make only four films. Actually, I wanted to make one film in a year. But I am finding it difficult to achieve that. About my films, I always live closer to reality, and my films and my characters always reflect these things. And the sensuous feelings of the charcters etc. that’s why I thing my films are tasting success since they are close to reality.

TCG: Music in your films, is always has been a top-notch...

Sekhar Kammula: I give a lot of importance to music and the lyrics. I sit with the music directors and work on the project till I am satisfied with the music scores.

TCG: Finally, your message to the youngsters?

Sekhar Kammula: First and foremost, one should know what he/she wants to do or achieve in life. Since, I know I was cut for something else I quit a lucrative software job at the height of software boom to enter the film world. Since, I know I can achieve success in this profession I took this route. Every youngster should pursue his/her interests. Many youngsters are in a confused state now. They really they don’t know what they wanted to do and how to go about to achieve their objects. And they just following the set mode like engineering, software job.. etc. Even parents should be blamed for this. They should allow their children to pursue their own interests. Unlike our days, there are plenty of opportunities for the youngsters. One should try to experiment between 16-24 years of age. If they taste success, nothing like that. If they fail, they can always get back to routine mode. I can’t see this happening in our country yet. I think, in another 5-10 years this is definitely going to happen.