Veteran filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao's latest directorial venture, 'Sing Geetham', has finally arrived in theatres today. The film marks the legendary director's 61st outing behind the camera and comes at an extraordinary stage of his career, with the filmmaker actively directing at the age of 94. Produced by Nag Ashwin under the Vyjayanthi Movies and Swapna Cinema banners, the musical fantasy has already attracted attention for attempting something rarely seen in Indian cinema.
Nag Ashwin on the Challenges of 'Sing Geetham'
Speaking about the project to SREEN, the 'Kalki 2898 AD' director reflected on the hurdles involved in bringing Singeetham's long-cherished vision to life. According to Nag Ashwin, the biggest obstacle wasn't the budget, logistics, or even the scale of production. It was understanding how to execute a concept that had virtually no precedent.
Unlike conventional musicals, 'Sing Geetham' unfolds entirely through songs, with every character communicating by singing rather than speaking. Ashwin revealed that the team struggled initially because there was no existing Indian film that could serve as a creative guide.
"We don't have a reference idea for this film because there is nothing like this that has been done before," he said. The filmmaker shared that it took nearly a year of collaboration with composer Devi Sri Prasad to crack the format and determine how the storytelling would function on screen.
More Than Just a Musical Experiment
Ashwin stressed that the film was never conceived as a novelty project. Instead, the team remained focused on preserving the signature storytelling style that has defined Singeetham's work over the decades.
"The challenge is the format of fulfilment itself. We need to keep the soul of what Singeetham Srinivasa Rao is trying to do. What he always does is humour and fun. Lots of fun, with some humanity in it. This is not a gimmick. We are not making a musical film for the sake of making a musical film. Singeetham is not doing it for the sake of it either."
Even during filming, the creative process remained fluid, with scenes often being refined on set through discussions between the director, writers and music team.
Directing at 94 Came with Unique Challenges
While much has been said about Singeetham's record-breaking achievement as an active filmmaker at 94, the production team had to devise innovative solutions to accommodate his schedule and health requirements. During portions of the shoot, particularly when travel became difficult, a remote monitoring setup was created at the filmmaker's residence. Through live feeds and headsets, he continued guiding actors and technicians despite being away from the set.
Ashwin revealed that Singeetham remained physically present for most of the filming schedule, but health concerns emerged during the final phase of production.
"He lost a little weight but that didn't dampen his spirits. His passion is infectious," Ashwin recalled. The film was reportedly completed over a shooting schedule of nearly 78 days and mounted on a budget of approximately Rs 22 crore.
When asked whether films like 'Sing Geetham' could inspire Telugu cinema to move beyond formula-driven commercial storytelling, Ashwin maintained that changing the industry was never the objective. "We are making the cinema because we love the craft. We are not making this to change the society or the way craft happens. The change we are referring to should happen organically," he explained.
To illustrate his point, he cited Singeetham's iconic 'Pushpaka Vimana', a silent comedy that remains one of Indian cinema's most innovative achievements decades after its release.
What Makes 'Sing Geetham' Even More Remarkable
What makes 'Sing Geetham' even more remarkable is the fact that the idea dates back nearly forty years. Ashwin revealed that Singeetham had first discussed the concept during a conversation with Kamal Haasan, but the project remained unrealised for decades because of its unconventional nature.
The producer-director believes the film reflects the veteran filmmaker's ability to think far ahead of his time. "Singeetham sir is way ahead of all of us. His concepts are timeless. How does something conceived forty years ago still feel like it belongs to the next generation? That is who he is."
Ashwin also recalled wanting to collaborate with the filmmaker on a sequel to 'Aditya 369', only for Singeetham to encourage him to pursue newer ideas instead.
More About 'Sing Geetham'
The fantasy musical follows Prathap, a young man who arrives in the mysterious village of Kubera Puram hoping to build a better future. Instead, he finds himself caught in extraordinary circumstances involving a centuries-old curse that compels everyone in the village to communicate through song.
As reality collides with fantasy, Prathap must navigate a world unlike anything he has ever known. Featuring debutant Ayaan alongside Ahilya Bamroo and Shalini Kondepudi, with music by Devi Sri Prasad, 'Sing Geetham' has now made its way to theatres, bringing to life a dream that its creator first imagined nearly four decades ago.
