Varun Tej On Getting Paid Full Price For Sister Niharika Konidela’s Upcoming Production: ‘My Sister Does Not Get A Discount’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Basking in the success of his latest release, “Korean Kanakaraju,” Telugu actor Varun Tej Konidela sits down with Variety India to exclusively speak about the film, why he is choosing not to release it in South Korea and the feedback he gets from his prolific family members on his films. 

Would you attribute the success of ‘Korean Kanakaraju’ to the South Korean influence in the script, given how popular K-Dramas and shows are? 

While the South Korean factor was important, it was not entirely responsible for the film’s success.  We wanted to make an entertainer. We were looking at making a horror-comedy and there have been quite a few films in this genre. So, we wanted a special element to make the film stand out. It was the director, Merlapaka Gandhi, who decided to introduce the Korean angle in the film. The film is set in Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh. That is also where KIA Motors has set up its manufacturing unit. So, when you just walk on the streets, you will see Koreans on the street and there are some Korean convenience stores. They also have some restaurants and there are many Koreans working there. So that is how the director came up with this bizarre idea of having a Korean and Rayalaseema crossover film.  

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Any plans to release the dubbed version of ‘Korean Kanakaraju’ in Korea?  

This film was made for people in Andhra Pradesh. We did not use the Korean language nor focus on their local culture. We just depicted parts of their underworld. The film had more to do with the confusion that arose from a comical situation, where the lead character attempts to speak in Korean. I also spoke to a couple of my Korean friends to understand the kind of content they consume. We consciously didn’t want to delve too deeply into Korean culture and end up losing our local audience. 

You are now working on “Bhari” which is being produced by your sister Niharika. Do you get paid for this role? 

I'm actually quite a flexible actor when it comes to paychecks. For me, it's more about project viability. And it's the same approach with my sister, too. For this film, I sit on the budget sometimes. We talk about getting the price down because there is a lot of correction that's happening in the market. Ideally, I want the project to be viable for everyone involved as my dad is a producer himself. So, I understand these factors.  But my sister does not get a discount. I tell her she has to pay me my full price. We will be working together for the first time. We're still in the pre-production phase of it. I injured my knee while practicing volleyball for ‘Bhari.’ It will take me another four months to be fit enough to play volleyball again. 

Do you seek advice from your uncles Chiranjeevi and Pawan Kalyan and your cousin, Ram Charan? 

We do have conversations occasionally. I'd be stupid if I didn't try to take advice from them because they're so good. They're so successful in their own way. One common factor among all three is that they have attempted to figure things out on their own. Probably, few of us had a push because we were related to someone big from the film industry. But ultimately, I don't make calls or get someone from my family to talk to a prospective producer or director for roles.  And more than a verbal conversation, the physical affection that they show when something is not going right matters most. When a film of mine, “Matka,” didn’t perform well, Charan came over and patted my back. At that point in time, he knew that I needed the pat more than the conversation, which was reserved for a later stage. They always tell us not to take anything for granted, and I have kept that in mind.