Niharika Konidela proclaims that she is an accidental producer. Having started her journey in production by writing and producing Muddapappu Avakaya, a YouTube webseries, eight years later, the actor-producer sees the release of Committee Kurrollu, her debut feature as a producer. Niharika mentions that she’s never planned to make a feature film. “I was producing multiple web series for OTT platforms and did not expect to make my feature film so soon. But when Committee Kurrollu came my way, I fell in love with the script. I could not say no.”
Telling the story of how she greenlit the film, Niharika continues, “I really loved the film when Yadhu Vamsi, the director, narrated the story first to me. But I was worried that I was not being entirely objective. So I made my father (actor Nagababu Konidela) listen to the narration as well. His emphatic approval sealed the deal.”
Niharika states that Committee Kurrollu came to her after a producer walked out of the film. But that did not deter the film’s actors & technicians or Niharika, who took the leap of faith and believed Yadhu Vamsi. Committee Kurrollu deals with the sensitive topic of reservations. When asked about whether she faced any apprehensions before choosing to back this film due to this subject matter, Niharika answers, “Committee Kurollu speaks about reservations, but it is not a film on reservations. It deals with so many other aspects, like friendship and 90s nostalgia. The film does not take sides with the issue, it presents it in a story without much bias and allows the audience to interpret things for themselves. I had no apprehensions.”
As an actor, Niharika is making a comeback to the big screen after nearly five years. There is a Tamil film set to release this September, as well as “What the fish”, a Telugu project yet to go on floors. The actor closes the interview by stating that acting in a period film is a dream of hers. “I want to work in a period film one day. Not necessarily a historical film, but something set in the 70s or 80s.”
