Director Sailesh Kolanu is busy promoting his upcoming Sankranthi release Saindhav, which stars Venkatesh, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Shraddha Srinath, Andrea Jeremiah and Ruhani Sharma in the lead roles. There were rumours last year that Sailesh had directed a few shots for Shankar’s Ram Charan, Kiara Advani-starrer Game Changer. When asked about it at a recent press interaction, he confirmed the same. (Also Read: Saindhav director Sailesh Kolanu reacts to viral meme on Venkatesh's bullet shot from trailer)

What’s surprising is that Sailesh revealed that the b-roll shots he was asked to shoot for Game Changer are something that assistant directors usually do. “Shankar sir was stuck somewhere and was insistent that an experienced director should direct those shots. Dil Raju sir asked if I would do them. The shots I directed are fillers, they’re usually done by assistant directors. I was surprised Shankar sir wanted someone experienced for it,” he said.


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Despite directing HIT and HIT 2, Sailesh said, he only said yes to doing the work because of the film’s team. “I worked for a couple of days on the film when Shankar sir wasn’t there but I didn’t direct any of the major sequences,” he explained, adding, “I like Charan anna and I grew up watching Shankar sir’s films. It’s why I agreed to shoot. I don’t know what the film is about but I’m sure it must be a good story.”


Saindhav tells the story of the titular character, also known as Saiko (Venkatesh), a man with a dark past. He is leading a quiet life with his daughter when she’s diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy that requires medication in crores. He soon wages a war against criminals, including a gangster called Vikas Malik (Nawazuddin) to get the money he needs.


Saindhav will release on January 13 and clash with Mahesh Babu’s Guntur Kaaram, Teja Sajja’s HanuMan and Nagarjuna’s Naa Saami Ranga at the box office.