Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Jul 11: Actor Sundeep Kishan has said films such as Vicky Donor and Badhaai Ho inspired him to headline Super Subbu, a Telugu series that explores sex education with humour and sensitivity rather than vulgarity.

In an interview, the 39-year-old actor said he had long wanted a story with a similar narrative style in his filmography and believed Super Subbu struck the right balance by treating a sensitive subject with care.

Sundeep said the series does not make sex education the subject of jokes but instead derives humour from the situations surrounding it.

"The idea of this character going to a village and teaching something to people who are even more orthodox than him creates a very interesting situation for humour. We don't make humour out of the subject itself; the humour comes from the situations the subject creates," he said.

Recalling the influence of Vicky Donor and Badhaai Ho, he said the films demonstrated how taboo subjects could be handled intelligently without becoming vulgar.

"Some of my favourite films in this space are Vicky Donor and Badhaai Ho. I was pleasantly surprised by how smartly they handled sensitive concepts with humour. One of the biggest reasons I wanted to do Super Subbu was because I wanted a story and film language like this in my filmography. I'm thankful to Malik Ram because one tiny jump in the wrong direction and the show could have become something completely different. I'm genuinely grateful that he got the balance right," he said.

Reiterating their influence, Sundeep added, "Films like Vicky Donor and Badhaai Ho inspired me to have a story and film narrative like this in my own filmography."

The actor said he was pleasantly surprised that Netflix backed a project centred on sex education.

"Telugu content has always been very varied and surprising over the years. Today, it's reaching a wider audience across the country because of the availability of platforms. I was very surprised that a subject like this came to me at this point in my life, and that Netflix was backing it as a show," he said.

"The collaboration of Netflix, Malik, and the content itself was a very pleasant surprise. Once I heard the narration, I realised how they were planning to make it, and I saw something very special in the making. Today, I can reiterate that we've made something very special. I'm very content and proud of the kind of content we've chosen to back," he added.

Sundeep stressed that Super Subbu avoids sensationalism and contains no obscene language or unnecessary intimate scenes.

"There's absolutely no obscene language in this show. We're not abusing anyone. There are no awkward intimate scenes. If this were released as a film, it would easily get a U certificate. Yes, the premise is about a man going to a small village to teach sex education, but we tried to handle that opportunity in the best possible way," he said.

He said he would never have accepted the project if its sole aim had been to shock or titillate viewers.

"To be honest, if this had been a show that simply wanted to sensationalise sex education or visually titillate people, I wouldn't have done it. That's true. Why would I spend ten months or a year of my life doing something whose biggest purpose is just to titillate or sensationalise?" he said.

"There have been many opportunities to do that, and I could have done them earlier too. The beauty lies in trying to say what you want to say without taking the easier route. That's what makes it special. Whether we succeed or not, we'll find out. But at least we'll be able to keep our heads high because we were very particular about making this show the right way," he added.

Speaking about changing attitudes towards sex education, Sundeep said Telugu audiences are becoming more receptive to such conversations when they are presented responsibly.

"A lot of people have asked me whether Telugu families will be ready to watch content like this. I think they absolutely should. Take Bhagavanth Kesari, for example. It has an entire portion about 'no means no' and good touch, bad touch. You can already see mainstream Telugu audiences slowly accepting such conversations when they're presented at the right pace. I think Super Subbu arrives at the right time and with the right subtlety. It helps people understand without making the subject itself the joke," he said.

The actor also emphasised that sex education is about awareness and responsibility rather than sensationalism.

"Interestingly, sex education is not about how to have sex. It's about how not to have sex. I think the 'not' is the part a lot of people keep forgetting," he said.

Reflecting on broader social changes, Sundeep said society was gradually moving in the right direction.

"I genuinely believe we're moving in the right direction as a society when it comes to learning. At the same time, we also carry the baggage of decades of doing things the wrong way. Whatever extra heat we're facing today is collateral damage from those years. Thankfully, actual education is now happening through various mediums, so we're in a much better space," he said.

With Super Subbu, Sundeep said he hoped to support a story that addresses a sensitive issue with humour, restraint and responsibility.