A slice-of-life romantic coming-of-age drama Emi Sethura Linga has been streaming on Aha Video since May 19. Starring Vinod Varma and Gnaneswari Kandregula in the lead roles, the film is directed by debutant K Sandeep. The film is produced by Sandeep and Murali Krishna. Jen Martin composed the tunes, while Resul Pookutty, the Academy Award winner, did the sound design. The director interacted with the media today, and here is the transcript.

Could you tell us about yourself?

I have been passionate about films right from my childhood. I did Engineering and Masters in Remote Sensing and GIS for the sake of possessing an academic qualification. My eventual goal is to enter the film industry. While I was in Thailand, I made a short film, and that was my only experience directing something before Emi Sethura Linga.

How relatable is male protagonist’s character to general audience who is an aspiring actor?

People who want to do an unconventional job will find it reliable. I find my male lead a little boring, and sometimes he can be irritating. It is due to the situations around him. Those who want to break free from their shackles and those who want to chase their dreams can relate to the hero’s character.

How did you approach Resul Pookutty?

I approached Resul, sir, on Facebook. I pitched my film and introduced myself as an indie filmmaker. I told him that the nuances of sound are crucial to my story, and I am very glad that he worked on our movie. It was a great experience working with him, and his suggestions and support were of great help to us.

Was it easy to ensure an OTT release?

Emi Sethura Linga was completed long back. The OTT deal didn’t happen easily. We started pitching the film to different OTT platforms. As the producer and I are newbies, it was not easy to figure out how to go about it. Hence nobody was willing to take up our project. In the end, Aha liked our film, and we are indeed grateful for the digital platform.

Is Emi Sethura Linga content driven or commercial film?

Emi Sethura Linga is not a commercial film. Neither is it a completely content-driven film. It falls between commercial and artistic beats. The narration is a bit slow-paced for the Telugu audience, but that’s the style that is best suit suited for the film. As a debutant, I wanted the film to be as realistic as possible.