Latest news with #AkkineniNageswaraRao
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Watch: Hyderabad's Annapurna Studios marks its 50th year
The Annapurna Studios, established by veteran actor-producer Akkineni Nageswara Rao and named after his wife, marked its 50th year recently. The studio played a key role in shifting the Telugu film industry from Chennai (then Madras) to Hyderabad. Currently, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Amala Akkineni, Naga Chaitanya and Supriya Yarlagadda are spearheading the studio and film school. The movie Secretary, produced by D Ramanaidu and starring Nageswara Rao and Vanisri, was the first film made at Annapurna Studios. Nageswara Rao was determined to only work with producers who were willing to film in Hyderabad. Gradually, projects began to take shape and Hyderabad soon became the hub for Telugu film industry. Production and Voiceover: Yuvasree S
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Sumanth discusses ‘Anaganaga', his 26-year career, and the joy of working with kids
'Good roles are rare, not the work,' says Sumanth, who will next be seen in Anaganaga, a heartwarming Telugu film streaming on ETV Win from May 15. On a laid-back afternoon at his Hyderabad home, Sumanth is relaxed and chatty. Fresh from a Thunderbolts screening, he is the kind who spends hours at the movies, either in a theatre or at home. 'I watch films or series for four to five hours a day. I just watched HIT 3 too,' he says. If he is not watching them, he is reading scripts. 'Don't be fooled by the books around; lately, it's been all scripts. I prefer reading one over listening to a narration before saying yes to a project.' Since his debut in 1999, Sumanth has stuck to his script-first instinct. 'People used to be surprised I even asked for scripts. But I have always felt they are essential, especially in films that are dialogue-heavy, which most of ours are, except the big spectacle ones like KGF, RRRor Baahubali.' He says it usually takes him about 10–12 pages to decide if a script has promise. 'Honestly, it has been a 10% success rate since my grandfather's (Akkineni Nageswara Rao) time. I read around 30 scripts and maybe three or four are worth it. I only agree when I believe in the script and trust the director. Luckily, I am not in a place where I need to work just for money.' Anaganaga, adapted from the Marathi film Eka Kaay Zala, came to him via producers Rakesh Reddy Gadam and Rudra Madireddy, and ETV Win. 'At first, I was not sure. I am not usually up for remakes, especially now when audiences can just stream originals. But three months later, they returned with a reworked version that really landed. It reminded me of how I felt when I read Malli Raava.' He plays Vyas, a school teacher who turns tricky lessons into stories for students with learning challenges. 'He is criticised for his methods but sticks to them. There is also a lovely father-son thread woven in.' Filmed in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam, Anaganaga puts Sumanth back in a school setting after Golconda High School, but this time, he is playing a father, a first in his career. 'I do not know why I have not played one before. It was great fun shooting with the kids. I am an introvert, but around them, I can be a complete goofball. It helped the scenes feel real.' He is also clear about playing age-appropriate roles. 'The lead actress, Kajal Choudhary, plays a school principal in her 30s. She's younger in real life, so I actually asked if they could cast someone older. I have always pushed for mature roles and against being paired opposite actresses far younger.' Anaganaga was always meant to be a digital film, not a theatrical one. 'It is an emotional story, we have made something warm and genuine.' Up next is Mahendragiri Varahi, a supernatural action thriller directed by Santossh Jagarlapudi. 'It is big on scale, with VFX and a proper theatrical release. ThinkVirupakshaor Karthikeya. I play a sceptic who enters a town plagued by strange happenings linked to Goddess Varahi.' After playing the antagonist in Sita Ramam, did he get more grey-shaded roles? 'Surprisingly, no,' he laughs. 'But I have always said I am open to playing villains.' Now 26 years in the industry, Sumanth says he is passionate but not obsessed. 'Acting is all I know and I give it my all when something excites me. But when I am not working, I am perfectly content being with my pets or just watching a film. I like my peace.'
The Hindu
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Hyderabad's Annapurna Studios, celebrating its 50th year, to introduce motion capture facility soon
Tucked away at Annapurna Studios Annexe, Hyderabad, is the ANR Sound & Vision unit, a post-production facility that enables filmmakers to get a holistic picture of the final output before a film is released in theatres. This unit, with a Virtual Production Stage and India's first Greenfield Dolby Atmos Premier Sound Mixing Theatre, are some of the facilities the studio is proud of. Founded by the late actor-producer Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Annapurna Studios is celebrating its 50th year and will soon inaugurate a motion capture facility in partnership with a Hollywood-based company. The studio's executive director, Supriya Yarlagadda, says the integration of audio and visual post production facilities marked a significant move in the studio's evolution. 'A few years ago, directors had to visit different labs to complete sound mixing and the visual output, with colour correction. The integration of audio and visual files happened at a vendor's facility (Qube, for instance) before a film's theatrical release. It was tough to gauge the final output. My uncle (Nagarjuna Akkineni) once asked in frustration, 'can't I see how our film finally looks before release?' We worked towards having all the post-production facilities at our premises.' The studio's chief technology officer, CV Rao, explains how the studio's Digital Intermediate (DI) or colouring lab came up in 2011. 'We began with a small DI unit with no high-end projectors. Soon, we upgraded the hardware and software, even though the market demand was minimal at the time. SS Rajamouli's Eega was one of the first films we worked on.' Additional DI suites, visual effects stations and other facilities came up eventually. Cinematographer KK Senthil Kumar and team worked on Eega and later the Baahubali films at the studio. 'It was time to look into the audio department so that directors could monitor editing, dubbing, colour, visual effects and sound design under one roof. The final mastered file or the Digital Cinema Package is approved by the director here,' says Rao. The Virtual Production Stage (VPS), in partnership with Qube Cinema, inaugurated in 2023 came up after observing the changes during the pandemic, when filmmakers could not shoot in real locations. Senthil Kumar, co-founder of Qube Cinema had earlier stated to The Hindu that the production facility was built at a cost of nearly ₹21 crore and features a 20 by 60-foot curved high brightness LED screen, which can be used by filmmakers to render complex photorealistic virtual locations in real-time. 'The demand is still low,' concedes Rao. 'New age filmmakers are more likely to use it in the near future.' Post the VPS, the tech team saw the scope to push further. 'We are at a phase where the audiences are not frequenting theatres unless a film offers them a unique theatrical experience. Moving forward, we expect to see more films explore a larger-than-life format and create worlds with unique structures or animals for their stories. Motion Capture Facility would be the answer.' Closer home, Tamil film Kochadaiyaan experimented in motion capture. Rao explains, 'Kochadaiyaan explored motion capture through 3D animation. This new facility at the studio, which will open in a few months, will help live action motion capture.' In 2024, the studio inaugurated India's first Greenfield Dolby Atmos Premier Sound Mixing Theatre. However, India is yet to have theatres equipped with Dolby Cinema. 'Screens are expected to open in Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru, Kochi, Trivandrum and Trichy later this year,' says Rao. Rajamouli's RRR played a crucial role in the studio deciding to take the leap with Dolby Atmos. Rao sensed the opportunity of screening RRR in international theatres equipped with Dolby Cinema. He, cinematographer Senthil Kumar and a technical team travelled to Germany to process the film for Dolby Cinema projection. 'The Dolby team learnt about this and decided to partner with us to open the exclusive Dolby Atmos sound mixing theatre,' adds Rao. More films are in the pipeline, aiming to be compatible for Dolby Cinema projection. The task, Rao says, is to keep pace with international standards.'
