“Without Them, I Wouldn’t Be Here” – Comrade Kalyan Director

Director Janakiram is making his directorial debut with Comrade Kalyan, starring Sree Vishnu in the lead role. The film is scheduled to release on October 9. In an exclusive interview with Tupaki, Janakiram spoke about the film, Sree Vishnu, his journey in the industry, and the people who supported him in becoming a director.

Talking about how the project started, Janakiram said that the idea was developed in 2023, while the pre-production work continued for nearly two years. The shooting finally began on February 1, 2025.

When asked about Sree Vishnu being the first choice for the film, Janakiram said, "We thought about the story first. When we thought about who could play the hero, we felt Sree Vishnu sir would be the right choice. We immediately approached him. He listened to the story and agreed."

Sree Vishnu is known for his unique comedy timing and entertaining performances. Janakiram revealed that audiences can expect plenty of entertainment from him in Comrade Kalyan. "You have seen only around 10 percent of it in the teaser. Almost 90 percent of that entertainment is still there. We will reveal a little more in the trailer," he said.

Janakiram also spoke about his long journey in the film industry. He started working with director Samuthirakani in 2010. Later, he worked with Manoj Manchu and directors Bobby and Kishore Tirumala. He said that working with experienced directors taught him many important lessons.

"Patience is very important. It is not only important in the film industry, but in every field. If you have patience, many things will work out," Janakiram said.

He also gave special credit to Kona Venkat for supporting him during his journey. Janakiram said, "If I am speaking to you today as a director, there are two main reasons. One is Sree Vishnu sir and the other is Kona Venkat sir. Without them, I would not be here."

Janakiram said that Kona Venkat's experience and inputs helped him greatly during the making of the film. He described Kona Venkat as a master of screenplay and comedy.

The director also praised Sree Vishnu for making him comfortable on the sets. He said that there were many discussions with the actor before shooting. Sree Vishnu also helped him whenever he had difficulty expressing an idea.

Janakiram explained that his team gave him complete freedom as a debut director. He said, "There are no restrictions in my team. Everyone openly expresses what they feel. As a director, I have to listen and understand what they are saying."

He also shared his thoughts on becoming a director after years of working as an assistant. Janakiram believes that people should first prove themselves through their work.

"I never thought that I should stop everything and only try to become a director. We have to continue doing our work and prove ourselves. People will invest in us only when they know what we are capable of. To prove ourselves, we have to work," he explained.

Janakiram also praised producer Venkata Krishna Kittu for supporting the film without compromising on the story or quality. He said the producer was deeply involved in script discussions and always encouraged the team to make the film better.

The director further spoke about Bobby and Kishore Tirumala. "Bobby sir taught me how a commercial film should be made and how to handle people. Kishore Tirumala sir taught me about values and how different elements should be placed in a story," he said.

Janakiram confirmed that the title Comrade Kalyan was fixed from the beginning and there were no changes to it.

Finally, talking about the film's genre, he made it clear that the movie is primarily meant to entertain audiences. "There is no need for any big message. It is entertainment and love," he said.