Blast from the past: Jaitra Yatra, a realistic portrayal of settlement

NOTE: This retrospective on Jaitra Yatra (1991) was first published on February 1, 2017. We are now republishing it with minor updates and an improved copy.

Storyline

Teja (played by Nagarjuna) is the son of Seetharamudu (Delhi Ganesh), hailing from a settlement where politicians and police still dominate people’s lives. The film narrates how Teja stands up against this oppressive system and emerges victorious.

Uppalapati Narayana Rao remembers his debut with Nagarjuna

Uppalapati Narayana Rao recalls his beginnings in the film industry with gratitude. “I hail from Kakinada. My uncle had already produced films like Swargam-Narakam (Dasari) and Devudu Chesina Bommalu (Hanuman Prasad). From the start, I was deeply interested in cinema and expressed my desire to work in films. He introduced me to producer (Sravanthi) Ravi Kishore, and I soon joined Sravanthi Movies, working with director Vamsy on Maharshi and Sree Kanakamahalakshmi Recording Dance Troupe.

Later, I was part of the team of Varasudocchadu, directed by A. Mohan Gandhi. Though I was offered to do ‘Kartavyam,’ I stepped aside so that another assistant could join the team. However, I was often present on the sets of Kartavyam, which earned me a special thanks card in the credits.”

“It was Nagarjuna who truly made me a director,” Narayana Rao admits.

“At the time, I wasn’t ready to helm a film on my own. I was representing Sravanthi to narrate a story meant for K. Raghavendra Rao garu, but Nagarjuna was so impressed with my narration that he asked me to direct a film for Annapurna Studios. I told him I wasn’t ready, but he encouraged me, gave me all the time I needed, even offered his guesthouse as my workplace, and ensured I received a monthly salary until I completed the script. Later, Ravi Kishore garu came forward to produce the film. Their trust in a newcomer like me gave me the confidence to shape my vision.”

The making of Jaitra Yatra

Drawing inspiration from real life, Narayana Rao reveals how the film’s tone was set: “I watched a lot of art films at that time. Of course, I knew I couldn’t make an art film with a star like Akkineni Nagarjuna, but I wanted realism. Around then, a robbery at Simhachalam was linked to settlement areas. I spent 20 days living there, understanding their lives, and many scenes in the film are drawn from real incidents with a few cinematic touches. We shot extensively in Gundrajukuppam, Nagari, Puttur, Madanapalle, Horsley Hills, and Hyderabad.”

A fight sequence included to suit Vijayashanti’s image

Coming from a theatre background, Narayana Rao drew much of his cast from theatre stage talent.

“I discovered Kakarla Vijay Kumar at the 100 days function of Kartavyam and cast him as Krishnamurthy. For Nagarjuna’s father, I chose Delhi Ganesh, who was a regular in K. Balachander garu’s plays. Vijayashanti agreed to do the film, but later felt her role wasn’t long enough even though I had narrated it exactly as it was. Still, we added a climax fight for her, keeping her Kartavyam image in mind.”

Selecting the technical team

On the technical front, he credits his collaborators: “Though Ilayaraja garu was our first choice for music, his schedule was packed, and he suggested S.P. Balasubrahmanyam garu, whose work clearly reflects Ilayaraja’s influence. Tanikella Bharani, fresh from the success of Shiva, penned powerful dialogues, using the word ‘Chaa!’ in so many impactful ways. Cinematographer Hari Anumolu executed every shot exactly as I had visualized in my screenplay. I must also thank Nagarjuna, who wasn’t concerned about glamour—he portrayed Teja as a simple, believable man. The fights, too, were designed with utmost realism.”

Cinematographer Hari Anumolu adds: “Uppalapati wrote everything so clearly in the screenplay that I only had to translate it into visuals. Perhaps the reason the film didn’t perform well commercially was that the second half leaned too much toward art cinema, while the audience expected more entertainment after the first half.”

By: Sri Atluri