‘Hi Nanna’ Is Solely Centred on Emotions: Director Shouryuv

Shouryuv will make his directorial debut with Nani’s Hi Nanna, which co-stars Mrunal Thakur. Nani, who is known for working with various debutants, including his previous outing Dasara with Srikanth Odela, is now back to his usual boy-next-door role with his next. In his first-ever interview, debutant Shouryuv tells us about his film. “Hi Nanna is a film solely centred on emotions. There's no blood, there's nothing. I don't think we even have a smoking cut in our movie.” He adds, “Of all the screenplays I’ve written, this is the only tender, soft script I've got.”

Reflecting on his early years, Shouryuv shares, "I think I wrote my first story when I was in 6th grade. Many of my friends liked it and in 7th grade, I decided to become a director." But he doesn’t want to reveal his first story. “I used to think the story was trivial when I was in high school, but I later realised it had interesting ideas and that I can maybe develop it.” His childhood fascination with anime and cartoons like Kick Buttowski and Ben Ten, coupled with a love for comics, laid the foundation for his creative spirit. "Whenever I'm a little down, not just me, even my whole team starts watching Kick Buttowski," he adds, emphasizing the therapeutic power of animated films.

Speaking about his reserved nature, Shouryuv confesses that cinema became his medium of escape. He says, "Whenever I watch a movie, I get into it. I'm very introverted. So, cinema is the one that taught me everything - about places, behaviour, world events, crime and others." Shouryuv also candidly shares his foray into the world of filmmaking under the mentorship of Vijayendra Prasad, the acclaimed storyteller behind RRR, Bahubali, and Bajarangi Bhaijaan. "Whenever I’d go and explain to him a thought of mine, he’d ask me, 'That's alright, but what is your story?' That's how I learnt the importance of understanding what my story is about."

As the conversation steers toward his favourite filmmakers, Shouryuv mentions luminaries like Rajamouli, Quentin Tarantino, and Guy Ritchie. He says, "Everyone likes Rajamouli. We can't start a list without his name.” When asked about life-defining movies, he says, “I can't choose one because there are so many movies and it’s about the experience." The director further cites influences ranging from anime and Shawshank Redemption to Shankar's Gentleman and Pokiri. For him, watching films from various corners of the world is not merely an academic exercise. "I don't call it a phase. Because I'm still living it, I've been doing that my entire life. I applaud every movie that touches my heart and it becomes a part of my memory; I want to make a movie like that."