Latest news with #Mallesham
Indian Express
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Priyadarshi Pulikonda: ‘I love playing the vulnerable man on screen'
Priyadarshi Pulikonda's recently released legal drama Court: State Vs. A Nobody is currently the talk of the town. The film, which dwells on the intricacies of a young romance getting entangled in legal drama, sees the 35-year-old play junior advocate Surya Teja. The Hyderabad-based actor admittedly has a knack for lesser-known stories. Mallesham (2019), which follows the life and work of the titular Padma Shri-winning entrepreneur and weaver from rural Telangana, is an example. While he is known for his comic timing in films like Jathi Ratnalu (2021), it is the vulnerability that he brings to his characters — Gajula Saayilu in Balagam or Surya Teja in Court — which has made him an emerging face from the Telugu filmscape. In this interview, Priyadarshi speaks about his journey as an actor, what excites him and why vulnerability is his greatest strength. Excerpts from a conversation: You come from a family of teachers. How did acting happen? I was a curious child and was drawn to moving images. I was seven or eight when I watched Sagara Sangamam (1983). When you see a great film, it makes you feel powerful. That film made me want to be an actor. Learning cinema at the University of Hyderabad helped. I think people who don't come from the film fraternity should learn how films are made and how they work. I later joined a company that did visual effects for Telugu films, which was a refresher course for me. I came into films when digital filmmaking was nascent. At the time, people were making films by renting a Rs 2,000 camera that gave a feature film-like output. How do you choose your roles? There is no definitive process. Films like Mallesham (2019) or Pelli Choopulu (2016) spoke the language of youngsters. I relate to such stories. Essentially, if a story strikes a chord, I will take it up. Also Read | HIT 3 movie review: An effective Nani sees red in this bloody but rocky action drama In your films, you embody the boy next door image. Is that a conscious choice? You always want to be the boy next door. That is where the quality of being relatable comes from. I love playing the vulnerable man on screen. What is it about playing vulnerable men that attracts you? Their representation in cinema is limited. These are the men who are fighting their own battles just by living their lives. My struggles as an artiste have made me a vulnerable person. As an artiste, you always hold a mirror to yourself and the world. So, playing such characters is satisfying. In Mallesham and Balagam, your characters come from rural Telangana. Is playing characters from the region important to you? The Telangana identity is important to me. Growing up in Hyderabad and following writers who come from the hinterland help me portray such characters. People like Venu Yeldandi from Sircilla and Tarun Bhaskar from Warangal inspire me. Besides that, it feels nice to speak the dialect. Court is a leap. You play an urban advocate. How did that happen? I met the writer (Ram Jagadeesh) when I was working on a different project. We got talking about the intricacies of the POCSO Act. I think when stories are personal, they get creative and more empowering. Jagadeesh had one such story which he developed into an amazing legal drama. There was a certain integrity to my character. The Telugu film industry is known for its big budget films. Is there space for niche low-budget films? Would you want to do an RRR (2022)? Earlier, the perception was that low-budget films have no star-value but that is slowly changing, as the story becomes the star. When we look at Court, the returns it has brought was purely because it was a rooted, personal film. For the film industry to thrive, we need all kinds of cinema — big- and low-budget films. I do want to be part of a film like RRR, but I need to be deserving enough to do so. The practical aspect is whether I will be able to pull the weight of such a film in terms of revenue, considering I come from the indie scene. I do not want my producers to go back with losses. But, RRR, yes, some day. Would you want to work in other regional film industries in India? I look forward to it. When you see a Kannada film like Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana (2021) or a Malayalam film like Sookshmadarshini (2024), or even some of the Tamil films, you understand that there are interesting perspectives. Also Read | Chiranjeevi was 'humiliated' when stars like Sivaji Ganesan were ignored at National Awards while Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar were celebrated: 'It was like an insult' What are your upcoming projects? I am doing a film called Premante with a new director Navneet Sriram. It has an interesting take on love and relationships. Mitramandali by debutant director Vijay is a light, humorous film. I think all my new projects are from people who come from diverse backgrounds.
New Indian Express
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Raj Rachakonda's 23 gets a release date
The makers of Raj Rachakonda's upcoming film 23 - The Movie finally set a release date for their film. Presented by Rana Daggubati, the film will hit theatres on May 16. Inspired by a series of true events, 23 features Teja and Tanmai in the lead cast. The film promises to be a socially conscious drama, exploring the themes of justice and redemption, telling a story based on three separate events of mass killings that impacted the contemporary history of the two Telugu states. Actors like Jhansi, Pawan Ramesh, Thagabothu Ramesh and Praneeth comprise the supporting cast. Mark K Robin is the music director for the film. Over the past few weeks, the makers have been consistently releasing songs from their film. Director Raj Rachakonda has penned the screenplay, while Indus Martin is the dialogue writer. In the technical team, Sunny Kurapati is the cinematographer and Anil Aalayam helms the editing. The social drama is produced under the banner of Studio 99. Raj Rachakonda has previously made acclaimed films like 8am Metro and Mallesham. As of now, 23 remains the solo big Telugu release that weekend
Hans India
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
People don't come to see me; they come for strong stories: Priyadarshi
Riding high on the success of Court, actor Priyadarshi is now gearing up for the release of his next lead venture, Sarangapani Jatakam. Directed by Mohana Krishna Indraganti and backed by Sridevi Movies' Sivalenka Krishna Prasad, the film is set to hit theatres on April 25. In a candid media interaction, Priyadarshi opened up about the film, his evolution as an actor, and his views on content-driven cinema. Speaking about Sarangapani Jatakam, he shared that the story came to him last year and was initially set for a year-end release, but strategic decisions led to its April launch. He expressed excitement, saying, 'I'm happy to follow up Court with this film. There's no pressure, just confidence.' While the movie's plot revolves around horoscopes, Priyadarshi confessed he believes in them only 'to some extent.' Reflecting on the theme, he said, 'We're not asking people to believe or disbelieve in astrology. We're simply exploring what happens when beliefs are forced upon others.' He noted that Sarangapani Jatakam, like his earlier films Mallesham, Balagam, and Court, features a relatable protagonist. 'I prefer emotional stories rooted in real lives. These characters connect with the audience on a deeper level,' he explained. Interestingly, the film marks a departure in terms of dialect too. 'I usually speak in the Telangana dialect, but here, I've adopted the Andhra accent under Indraganti sir's guidance. It gave the character a new rhythm,' he revealed. He emphasized that today's audience values content above all. 'People don't come to see me—they come for strong stories. Films work only when they're rooted in meaning,' he said. And when a film flops? 'I definitely introspect and learn from it,' he admitted. Despite emerging as a content-driven actor, he's open to the idea of commercial cinema. 'If a director like Srikanth Odela calls me, I'll pick up a sword! I'd love to explore all kinds of roles.' He also expressed gratitude toward producer Sivalenka Krishna Prasad and his dream-come-true moment of working with Indraganti. The actor revealed upcoming projects including Premante under Asian Cinemas and Mitramandali under Geetha Arts. With Sarangapani Jatakam releasing soon, he concluded, 'We're planning premieres and early shows. If people like what they see, I'm sure they'll show up in theatres. Our film will leave you laughing and thinking.'
