Development After the release of
100% Love (2011),
Nagarjuna decided to act and produce in an
all-star film along with his father, actor
Akkineni Nageswara Rao and elder son
Naga Chaitanya. Nageswara Rao suggested Nagarjuna to begin the film as early as possible, because of his age. After examining and rejecting many scripts due to a perceived lack of novelty, Nagarjuna was advised by actor
Nithin's father and distributor Sudhakar Reddy to listen to a script by
Vikram Kumar, who was directing Nithin and
Nithya Menen in
Ishq (2012). Although he liked the script after the first narration, he agreed to act in the film only after watching
Ishq before its theatrical release. Kumar requested Nagarjuna a year's time to complete and provide the finishing touches to the script. The latter read the script to director
K. Raghavendra Rao, who suggested Kumar develop a simpler version, as the original was too complicated. The rewritten version was read to Nagarjuna in two and a half hours and to Nageswara Rao over six hours, as the latter wanted every detail to be clear. Due to the complex nature of the second half, the latter suggested Kumar to add a comedy plotline between grandfather and grandson. After its incorporation into the script, The film was officially launched on 3 June 2013 at
Annapurna Studios office by conducting a small
pooja ceremony. Nageswara Rao died in late January 2014, making this film his last project as an actor. The promotion material featured the "Akkineni Family" as the film's producer. Nagarjuna revealed in an interview that he did so because Nageswara Rao taught his family the importance of it in his last days.
Reliance Entertainment co-produced and distributed the film.
Casting Nagarjuna engaged
Samantha Ruth Prabhu as the second female lead, to be paired with Chaitanya in the film. This was her third collaboration with Chaitanya after
Ye Maaya Chesave (2010) and
Autonagar Surya (2014). Her inclusion was confirmed in mid-October 2012 by Nagarjuna in an interview with
The Times of India.
Ileana D'Cruz was approached for the main female lead role to be paired with Nagarjuna in early February 2013. She was impressed with her role and the film's script and quoted a fee of 20 million, which was denied by sources close to her. However,
Shriya Saran was signed as the main female lead as her fourth collaboration with Nagarjuna. Nagarjuna announced in mid September 2013 that Kaushal Sharma, Srikar Chittarbu and Krishna Yadav, who graduated from the
Annapurna International School of Film and Media, would make their debut with this film. Nagarjuna's younger son
Akhil Akkineni was rumoured to be making a cameo appearance following Nageswara Rao's request. Sources close to the film's unit initially denied those reports. Samantha later tweeted that Akhil appeared for shooting his portions in the film. When his health conditions worsened, Nageswara Rao asked Nagarjuna to bring the
dubbing equipment to dub for his role fifteen days before his surgery as he did not want any other artist to do it if his voice worsened. He completed those activities just before he died on 22 January 2014. Only an appearance in a song remained incomplete.
Neetu Chandra, who worked with Kumar on
Yavarum Nalam (2009), made a cameo appearance in the film. Nagarjuna's sister Supriya told the media that a few other actors also made cameo appearances in the film.
Raashii Khanna confirmed in early April 2014 that she too would make such an appearance. Kumar convinced Nagarjuna to let Akhil make a cameo appearance towards the end of the film or in a special song. However an official confirmation was originally unavailable.
Amitabh Bachchan posted in his official blogging site on 27 April 2014 that he would make a quick cameo appearance in the film which would be his debut in Telugu cinema.
Lavanya Tripathi also made a cameo appearance on Kumar's request. Akhil made a cameo towards the film's end, as he did not want to miss a chance of sharing the screen with his grandfather.
Crew Anup Rubens was selected to compose the film's music and background score in mid March 2013 marking his second collaboration with both Kumar and Chaitanya after
Ishq (2012) and
Autonagar Surya (2014) respectively. Kumar read the script to Rubens without revealing the film's cast. After Rubens accepted a role in the film, both met Nagarjuna. Rubens said in an interview that he worked for fewer days when compared to his previous works and added that Kumar had a small story to tell within every song in the film. Due to Nageswara Rao's death, a song's tune was replaced with another tune and a few lines of the song
Nenu Puttanu from the film
Prem Nagar (1971).
Harsha Vardhan was selected in late April 2013 to write the film's dialogues, in consideration of his work in
Gunde Jaari Gallanthayyinde (2013). Since the film was a period drama, Nagarjuna wanted an experienced veteran cinematographer, and approached
P. C. Sreeram. As Sreeram was busy with
I (2015),
P. S. Vinod was finalised as the cinematographer, marking his return to Telugu cinema after
Panjaa (2011).
Rajeevan, also a part of the technical team of
Ye Maaya Chesave, was chosen as the film's art director. In a press interview during the first look launch, executive producer Supriya announced the remaining key technicians. Prawin Pudi was confirmed as the film's editor.
Brinda was signed in on to choreograph the song sequences.
FEFSI Vijayan was chosen as the stunt choreographer.
Vanamali and
Chandrabose were chosen to write the lyrics for the songs.
Characterisations Nageswara Rao played the role of a 90-year-old man. His character enters the film just before the interval and remains until the very end of the film. She added "My character goes back to 1930s and comes back in the present era. I can't tell how it happens though. It's a fun character and you will find me stammering a lot. Suddenly, I'm talking normally and suddenly I start stammering, that's how you understand my character." He also said that both the roles would have multiple layers and added, "The film as you all would know by now, is spread across three generations, and all the characters go back and forth in time. I play a happy-go-lucky college guy in the present era. It's a typically fun character and has nothing in common with my character from the flashback. So acting wise, it was a big challenge". He described the drunk scenes shared with Nagarjuna, Nageswara Rao and his confrontation scene with Samantha towards the end of the film as the toughest scenes to act. Similar to
Ye Maaya Chesave, Chaitanya and Samantha had a kissing scene in this film as a part of the script. A clip of one of Samantha's looks in the film was leaked in late July 2013. She was seen sporting an urban look and opted for a complete makeover. Saran's look in the film's flashback sequences was leaked in late February 2014. The film had two particular wedding scenes, one filmed on Chaitanya and Samantha and the other on Nagarjuna and Saran. The first pair greet each other with "Hi" during the wedding. When Kumar wrote those scenes, they were surprised and felt that such scenes were unrealistic. But it was retained as Nageswara Rao liked it. For the other wedding scene, Kumar wanted to heighten the emotions between the two characters in that scene and it was Nagarjuna who came up with the idea of not revealing his identity to the bride till the last moment.
Filming , where the film was partly shot.
Principal photography began on 7 June 2013. Scenes focusing on Chaitanya and Samantha were shot at
Narayanguda in mid June 2013. The latter completed her part in the schedule and left for
Switzerland on 18 June 2013 to work on
Attarintiki Daredi (2013). The first schedule was wrapped up by late June 2013 and the second schedule was scheduled to begin in mid-July 2013. Some important scenes were planned to be shot in that schedule. Shriya Saran joined the film's sets in late July 2013. Samantha tweeted on 31 July 2013 that the film's second schedule had been wrapped up. The film was shot in
Hyderabad Campus of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani in late August 2013 and Samantha rejoined the film's sets on 1 September 2013 after completing
Ramayya Vasthavayya (2013). Scenes featuring Nageswara Rao, Nagarjuna and Chaitanya were shot from 9 September 2013 in Hyderabad. Executive producer Supriya announced in mid September 2013 that the filming would be completed by November 2013. Recovering from surgery, Nageswara Rao rejoined the film's sets in mid November 2013. A 15-day schedule in
Coorg starting from 1 December 2013 was announced in late November 2013 and key scenes on all the members of the principal cast except Nageswara Rao were planned to be shot. The next schedule began in mid December 2013 at
Mysore. , where the flashback portions were partly shot. The film's team continued filming at
Melukote,
Lalitha Mahal and in the
backwaters of the
Krishna Raja Sagara among others. Samantha completed filming her portions on 22 February 2014. By late March 2014, the entire filming, except for a song sequence, was completed; the song was planned to be shot in April 2014 Featuring Nagarjuna and Naga Chaitanya, it was shot at Annapurna Studios in mid-April 2014. Amitabh Bachchan shot the scenes for his cameo at the
Filmistan Studio in
Mumbai on 27 April 2014. Saran later revealed in an interview that during the shoot at Coorg, the team's day began at 4:30 am every day. She visited coffee plantation and black pepper farms to observe the farmers' work for her part. For a few particular scenes, where Saran teaches Nagarjuna some farm chores, the team made a few takes, as Nagajuna, being a quick learner, completed the tasks better than Saran. == Themes and influences ==