The relationship drama DeAr will release in Telugu on April 12
Anand Ravichandran, the director behind the critically acclaimed Netflix release Sethum Ayiram Pon, is back for his sophomore directorial titled DeAr, starring GV Prakash Kumar and Aishwarya Rajesh in the lead. Kaali Venkat and Rohini essay other crucial roles in the drama that’s releasing in Tamil and Telugu on April 11 and 12 respectively.
The film’s trailer garnered attention this week owing to its quirky premise and the voice-overs of cricketer Ashwin Ravichandran and Naga Chaitanya in both versions. GV Prakash, who has had multiple releases as an actor this year – Rebel and Kalvan – has also scored the music for the film. Ahead of its release in Telugu, the cast and crew gathered for a press meet in Hyderabad.
The premise revolves around a newly married couple – Deepika and Arjun – with contrasting sleeping habits. While Arjun is a light sleeper, Deepika is notorious for her loud snoring. The latter tries hard to conceal this side of her post-marriage but it eventually drives a wedge between the couple. How will they rise above their differences and accept each other?
At the event, Aishwarya Rajesh shared, “I was surprised when I heard that I was Anand’s first choice for the film. He had narrated the story three years before during the lockdown and it’s a beautiful relationship drama rooted in reality. The USP of the film is its relatability and the director has stayed true to the story. It was a delight to have shared screen space with Rohini ma’am.”
On a lighter note, she added, “In contrast to the film, I rarely snore while I sleep. However, people back in my home do, especially my mother. I got so used to her snoring that I can’t function without it at night. It feels abnormal whenever my mother doesn’t snore.” Aishwarya yet again insisted that she’s not being intentionally choosy with Telugu films.
“When I played a cricketer in Kousalya Krishnamurthy (Kanaa), I didn’t even know the basics of the game. For my next Tamil film Valayam, I am performing action sequences in the second half, something that I never thought I would do. As a performer, I choose subjects that intimidate me and challenge me to do better. I am ready to do a wide variety of roles regardless of the genre.”
Actor, musician GV Prakash Kumar said, “I and Aishwarya met over a flight and we were constantly thinking of working together in a project for a long time. When Aishwarya referred to me this film, I was initially sceptical and presumed it would be a typical female-oriented film where the hero gets barely 20 minutes. However, Anand gave me a beautiful narration that bowled me over.”
“I was so captivated by the first half that I said yes immediately and Anand didn’t even bother narrating the rest of the story (laughs). I had to ask him to wrap it up at least for a formality. As you watch the film, you’ll instantly identify with its world and relate with your father, mother, uncle, aunt or your cousin. Some scripts have an instant spark – like I had with Raja Rani, Sivappu Manjal Pachai, Trisha Illana Nayanthara – and I’m confident DeAr will do well in theatres.”
Senior character artiste Rohini stated, “DeAr is a cute-little ‘cool’ film this summer where the director has done a job in portraying the complexities in modern-day relationships and I’m sure many couples will resonate with the conflicts. At a time when relationships are becoming more fragile, the film tells the story of three marriages and I have a handful of interesting sequences with dense writing where silences too do the talking.”
Director Anand Ravichandran mentioned, “While I went out of my comfort zone in my first film Sethum Aayiram Pon, DeAr was an ambience I felt more in control of. Not many heroines would’ve said to Aishwarya’s role and she improvised very well, adding nuance to the screenplay. She was instrumental in bringing GV Prakash on board. He isn’t only a musical genius but also bettered himself with every shot. Rohini’s role will be widely spoken about, after release.”
The film is produced by Varun Tripuraneni, Abhishek Ramisetty and G Pruthviraj under Nutmeg Productions while Global Cinemas and Annapurna Studios are distributing it in Telugu. DeAr’s pre-release event was also graced by directors Nandini Reddy, Venky Atluri, actor Sundeep Kishan and producer S Naga Vamsi. GV Prakash will have a big Telugu release this year as a composer – Lucky Bhaskar, starring Dulquer Salmaan and Meenakshi Chaudhary in the lead.
