Sukumar, one of the top directors in Tollywood, is well-loved for his style, personality, and approach both on and off the stage. His distinct way of speaking and his strong character are often praised by many.
However, working with him isn’t always easy. He is known to be a tough taskmaster, often making his team work under pressure, and is said to make people cry during the shoot. Sukumar’s films are known for their delay in shooting schedules and constant changes, with scenes and dialogues being altered frequently, which can cause frustration among the crew.
Despite the challenges and discomfort, Sukumar’s ability to deliver excellent output keeps artists and technicians patient. Producers, too, tend to bear the brunt of the delays, understanding that the end result will be worth it.
Many who have worked with him share that Sukumar often changes dialogues and scenes even during the shoot. Fahadh Faasil, who played the villain in Pushpa and Pushpa 2, opened up about this in an interview. He revealed that Sukumar had clearly warned him about this weakness before they began working together.
Fahadh shared that after watching Rangasthalam, he was so impressed that he immediately agreed to work on Pushpa. However, when Sukumar discussed the story with him, he made it clear that he shouldn’t be fixed on the dialogues or scenes because there would be chances of last-minute changes on set.
Sukumar reassured Fahadh that it was okay to take time to prepare for these changes and even mentioned that if there were difficulties, they could stop the shoot for the day to make adjustments. Fahadh, appreciative of Sukumar’s flexibility and approach, commented that working with such a filmmaker who gives such freedom made the experience easier, despite the challenges.
In a surprising revelation, Fahadh also shared that Sukumar had considered making a documentary for Netflix about red sandalwood smuggling, based on the research gathered for Pushpa.
