After more than three years of development, the film Martin, starring Dhruva Sarja, is ready to be released nationwide this week. The director, AP Arjun, who faced challenges during production, reflects on the journey of creating the film, stating, “This project has been a learning experience for me. Despite setbacks such as the impact of COVID-19, I choose to focus on the present and the grand scale of what we are offering to audiences.” Here are some highlights from the making of Martin:

'Martin keeps the audience engaged with its unique storytelling'

The dedication put into this film has been sincere, with a focus on captivating the viewers throughout. The screenplay is structured in a reverse order, presenting each scene as a puzzle that keeps the audience guessing about the unfolding story. Martin holds significance for me as a director, providing a platform to showcase my skills to a wider audience.

'Evolved from a bilingual project to a nationwide release'

Initially conceived as a Kannada-Telugu bilingual project starting in August 2021, we aimed for completion within a shorter timeframe. However, upon reviewing the initial footage after just 10-15 days of shooting, we recognized the potential for Martin to appeal to a broader audience and decided to transform it into a pan-India film. This shift required reevaluation and refinement of the storyline to resonate with diverse audiences and match the production quality of larger-scale Bollywood and Telugu cinema.

'Dhruva’s role in Martin will redefine his on-screen image'

Known for his roles in romantic films, Dhruva, referred to as the ‘Action Prince,’ will showcase a new dimension of his acting abilities in Martin. The film marks a departure from his previous projects and aims to present him in a fresh light to captivate audiences."Dear fans, this film will truly present him as an action hero like never before. The movie includes four chase scenes choreographed by Ravi Varma and five fight sequences choreographed by Ram Lakshman. Additionally, international artists Nathan Jonas and Aarash Shah contribute to the action. This patriotic film revolves around a gangster. In a deliberate effort to transform Dhruva's on-screen persona, we have minimized his lengthy dialogues that have been characteristic of his previous films. Instead, his walk, gaze, expressions, and body language convey the essence of his character. Furthermore, I am eager to collaborate with numerous established stars in the film industry, but I particularly relish working with emerging talents. Directing Dhruva in his debut film "Addhuri," alongside his co-star Radhika Pandit, entailed several months of rigorous preparation before filming commenced, resulting in a successful project. Reuniting with Dhruva for "Martin" posed a fresh challenge as we aimed to redefine his on-screen image. Nonetheless, he remains my hero both on and off screen. The prevalence of social media and short video platforms has caused a shift in audience behavior, with individuals increasingly drawn to various distractions. As a result, captivating and retaining viewers' attention has become a unique challenge in the current digital landscape.After undergoing a screening process lasting over 100 days, the film finally aired on television. This emphasized the significance of watching a movie in a traditional cinema setting. Nowadays, only movies with substantial content are likely to succeed in cinema halls. While star-studded films may draw some viewers, it is the smaller, more artful films that truly indicate progress in the film industry.