Pataas

Pataas (transl. Cracker) is a 2015 Indian Telugu-language action comedy written and directed by debutant Anil Ravipudi and produced by Nandamuri Kalyan Ram under N.T.R. Arts. It stars Kalyan Ram, Shruti Sodhi, Sai Kumar and Ashutosh Rana, with music by Sai Karthik. Released on 23 January 2015 to positive reviews, it became, according to the source, Kalyan Ram’s second most successful film after Athanokkade.

Story

Kalyan Sinha, a corrupt police officer, gets himself transferred to Hyderabad, where his estranged father, Murali Krishna, is the Director General of Police. Resenting his father, Kalyan sets out to teach him a lesson and even backs a local MP and criminal named GK. In time he realises his mistakes, changes sides and helps the force bring down GK and his allies.

Development

Ravipudi, who had worked as a writer on Kandireega, approached Kalyan Ram through a friend. Kalyan Ram liked the script and at first wanted to produce it with another actor, but Ravipudi wanted him in the lead. The film was launched at Ramanaidu Studios on 9 May 2014. Ravipudi described it as a Singam-style film with Telugu flavour about a corrupt cop who reforms, and an image makeover for Kalyan Ram.

Casting

Kalyan Ram plays the police officer. Shruti Sodhi, who had worked as a journalist, made her Telugu debut playing a journalist. Sai Kumar plays the DGP, and Srinivasa Reddy spoofs a famous line from Sai Kumar’s Police Story. Television anchor Jhansi returned to the screen after a break.

Filming

Principal photography began in Hyderabad on 10 May 2014 and ended on 22 November 2014, taking seventy working days. It included action scenes at Ramoji Film City and a remix of the song “Arey O Samba”. Ravipudi said he directed without a written scene sheet, knowing every line by heart.

Remakes

The film was later remade in Tamil as Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva and in Kannada as Pataki.

Sources: Wikipedia and Wikidata.