“Crazy Kalyanam Is a Crazy Family Entertainer for Everyone to Enjoy This Festive Season” – Anupama Parameswaran
“Marriage is about two people living happily together, not about turning a woman into a domestic worker” – Anupama Parameswaran
“Navarasa Raya” Dr. Naresh Vijaya Krishna, Anupama Parameswaran, Tharun Bhascker, and Akhil Uddemari, who shot to fame with Raju Weds Rambai, play the lead roles in the upcoming family entertainer Crazy Kalyanam. Produced by Boosam Jagan Mohan Reddy under the Arrow Cinemas banner as Production No. 2, the film is directed by Badhrappa Gajula. Set for a grand worldwide theatrical release on October 16, coinciding with the Dasara festive season, the film promises a blend of humour, emotions, and relatable family moments.
As part of the film’s promotions, heroine Anupama Parameswaran spoke about the film’s title, her character Keerthi, her experience working with the cast and director, and what audiences can expect from this festive entertainer.
How did the title Crazy Kalyanam come about?
We initially considered a different working title for the film. However, as the shoot progressed, everything about the project felt crazy, and that inspired our director to come up with the title Crazy Kalyanam. The film has a wonderful mix of fun and emotions. Once actors like Naresh garu, Akhil, and Tharun Bhascker came on board, the whole experience became even crazier.
I have been actively involved in the film’s promotions, and I am enjoying every bit of it because I am genuinely happy with the project. Our producer, Jagan Mohan Reddy, is equally passionate and crazy in the best possible way. Without his enthusiasm and commitment, the film might not have reached audiences in such a wonderful way.
Does your character get married in the film? Is there any pressure on you regarding marriage in real life?
You will have to watch the film to find out whether Keerthi gets married or not! (Laughs.) In real life, there is absolutely no pressure on me from my family regarding marriage. They have always told me to get married whenever I feel ready.
Personally, I want to have a baby before getting married. Coming to wedding traditions, Kerala weddings are generally known for their traditional vegetarian feasts. Through this film, I got to experience the culture and celebrations associated with Telangana weddings. Interestingly, traditions such as haldi and mehendi ceremonies, which were not as common in Kerala weddings earlier, are now becoming increasingly popular. Traditionally, we mostly had two main functions—the engagement and the wedding.
What makes Crazy Kalyanam different from other family entertainers?
Every character in Crazy Kalyanam is struggling with something. What seems like a serious problem to the characters may appear funny to the audience. That is where the comedy comes from. The humour is not forced; it emerges naturally from the characters and the situations they find themselves in.
When Badhrappa narrated the script to me, I could immediately sense his sincerity and conviction as a filmmaker. His narration made me laugh at certain moments and feel emotional at others. He narrated the entire script, including Balaraju’s character, and I was impressed by both the story and his approach. That was one of the main reasons I agreed to be part of the film.
Tharun Bhascker’s character, Balaraju, is particularly relatable. He is the kind of person we come across in our everyday lives, and there is plenty of humour in his behaviour. In fact, our director and producer also share certain traits with Balaraju!
What is the central theme of the film, and how does your character Keerthi fit into the story?
Once the characters are introduced, the story gradually brings the central theme of marriage into focus. The narrative does not take long to draw audiences in because the situations and emotions are very relatable.
I strongly believe that marriage is about two people living happily together. It should not mean that a woman has to become a domestic worker in her own home. My character, Keerthi, believes in this idea, and it is something I personally relate to as well. That is why the dialogue in the trailer, “If I cook, you should wash the dishes,” is so meaningful. It reflects the importance of sharing responsibilities in a relationship.
Akhil Uddemari has done a very good job as Uday. He is a talented actor, and there is an emotional honesty in his performance that never feels artificial. His eyes convey a lot, which was essential for this character. Keerthi is a strong and somewhat strict person, while Uday supports her and balances her personality. Their contrasting approaches form an important part of the film’s conflict.
For an actor playing Uday, it was important to express genuine emotions amid the many characters and situations in the story. Akhil brought exactly that quality to the role.
Did you get the freedom to contribute your ideas to the film?
Yes. There are projects where we have very little opportunity to express our thoughts. We perform the roles assigned to us and move on. But Crazy Kalyanam was different. It gave us the freedom to exchange ideas, discuss scenes, and work collaboratively to improve the film.
I shared my thoughts with director Badhrappa, and Naresh garu, Akhil, Tharun, and the rest of the team also participated in discussions about our scenes and performances. All of us wanted to make the scenes more effective and natural.
I also speak in the Telangana dialect in this film. I did not attend any special workshops to learn it. Instead, I carefully observed the way our director spoke and tried to bring that natural rhythm and pronunciation into my dialogues.
How was your experience working with Dr. Naresh Vijaya Krishna?
Working with an experienced actor like Naresh garu is always inspiring. His passion for acting is remarkable, and watching him perform motivates you to give your best. He brings a great deal of experience and energy to the set, making the entire process enjoyable.
We are confident that we have made a good film with Crazy Kalyanam. My parents have already watched it and appreciated it immensely. What makes their response even more special is that they do not know Telugu, yet they connected with the emotions in the film. That itself tells you how universal the story and its feelings are.
I believe audiences will feel as though they are watching something that could happen in their own homes. The characters, relationships, humour, and emotions are all familiar. We hope people walk out of theatres feeling that they have watched a genuinely entertaining and crazy family film during the festive season.
You have been choosing diverse roles throughout your career. What guides your choices?
As an actress, I always want to be versatile. I do not want audiences to feel that all my films are alike or that I keep repeating the same kind of performance. Instead, I want them to remember a film because of the character I played in it.
That is why I look for projects that offer me something distinctive. Keerthi in Crazy Kalyanam is another such character, and I believe audiences will remember her for her personality, opinions, and approach to relationships.
I do not want money to be the only reason I take up a film. My passion for acting and my desire to explore something new should drive my choices. At present, I am working on a series of films in Tamil and Malayalam, and each project is completely different from the others. Exploring varied characters and challenging myself as an actress is what keeps me excited about my work.