Siddharth and new comer Praneetha are all set to entertain in 'Bava". M.L. NARASIMHAM

The morning light is breathtakingly clear. Summer is just setting in. Passing through clusters of luscious mango groves and coconut trees and the symmetric rows of rice shoots extending from the fields is an exhilarating experience one gets while travelling from Razole to Seetharamapuram where the second schedule for Bava produced by M.L. Padma Kumar Chowdhary is progressing. Siddharth plays the title role while newcomer Praneetha is cast as his 'maradhalu" (maternal cousin) and love interest.

Veteran actor Rajendra Prasad plays the hero"s father and a middleclass farmer for the first time, informs M. L. Kumar Chowdhary as we step into an old 'manduva" house in Seethramapuram where debutant director Rambabu is filming a scene involving father and son characters.

Cinematographer Aravind Krishna focuses the camera on Siddharth and Rajendra Prasad to capture their expressions. A while later veteran Kannada actress Pavithra Lokesh cast as the hero"s mother, and Praneetha enter the scene. The scene is conceived in light banter.

"It is a total entertainer set against rural backdrop. A feel-good family drama," chips in Kumar Chowdhary. Rambabu who worked with Kodi

Ramakrishna and Prabhudeva earlier, wrote a script for his debut venture two years ago and waited for Siddharth"s dates as he wrote the central character with him in mind. "He came to me with a bound script and Siddharth"s dates and that"s how this project happened," said Chowdhary with a broad smile. Incidentally this is his ninth production. It was a casting coup of sorts when he made Rajendra Prasad accept the father"s role.

"Perhaps this is the first time he is playing dad to a popular hero," says Kumar Chowdhary. "Siddharth has that boyish charm and at the same time he is an intense actor. After Nuvvosthanante Nenoddhantana and Bommarillu, Bava will be his best film in Telugu."

Scanning through the photographs of a few new faces, the director says that they finally zeroed in on Praneetha. "She hails from Bangalore and is talented. It is a cute love story between bava and maradhalu. Every frame in the movie is created with artistic passion by my team and it will be like watching a beautiful painting."

Since the story is set in a village, most of the film"s shoot is held in Razole and its surrounding areas. "The first schedule was completed at Razole on February 28 and we started this second schedule on March 17 that will continue till April 2 and then we move to Hyderabad to commence the third schedule on April 15. Besides entertaining , the movie leaves behind a subtle message too." says Kumar Chowdhary.

As we were about to leave the location, 'Ahuti" Prasad and Vinaya Prasad make their entry. They play the heroine"s parents. Brahmanandam, Raghubabu, Jogi Naidu, Prabhas Srinu and Venu are also part of the cast. Chakri composed the music and Gautham Raju edits the venture presented by Sandeep. Bava is slated for an August release.