South Indian Directors
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S.S.Rajamouli is an Indian filmmaker who primarily works in Telugu cinema. He is one of the most celebrated filmmakers ever of the Indian film industry and pioneered the Pan-Indian films movement. Rajamouli was born in a Telugu family to V. Vijayendra Prasad and Raja Nandini. Both his parents hail from Andhra Pradesh.
Rajamouli has directed 12 feature films so far, including mega blockbusters like Baahubali: The Beginning, Baahubali: The Conclusion, and RRR. Through his Baahubali series, Rajamouli pioneered the Pan-Indian films movement. His next film, tentatively called SSMB29, is a globetrotting action adventure & first collaboration with "Superstar" Mahesh Babu which is is expected to begin its production in 2024.
Eega (2012) won nine awards at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, including the Most Original Film. Baahubali films have received six Saturn Award nominations with Baahubali 2 (2017) winning the Best International Film. His latest directorial "RRR" (2022) received various international accolades including the 1st Academy Award for India, a Golden Globe Award for the song "Naatu Naatu" & nomination for Best Foreign language film, and a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
A self confessed "film freak", Rajamouli's penchant for filmmaking is best captured by the word "emotion". He has often stated that his films are based on stories driven by human emotions. While scaling up his work with "larger-than-life" themes over the years, Rajamouli maintained his signature style of filmmaking that allows audience to simmer in the thrills and emotions of the story with less dialogue.
He is a recipient of various national and international honors including a prestigious New York Film Critics Circle award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, two Saturn Awards, and four National Film Awards. In 2016, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri (fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India), for his contributions in the field of art. In 2023, he was included on the Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world- Writer
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Shankar is an Indian film director and producer who works mainly in Tamil cinema. He started his career as an assistant director to SA Chandrasekar and now he is the highest paid director in the country. He made his debut in Gentleman (1993) and since 2015 he has directed 12 movies. He won the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2010, in the Entertainment category.- Director
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Priyadarshan is an Indian film director and screenwriter. He has worked in the Hindi and Malayalam film industry for almost 40 years and has directed over 90 films.
He completed his early education at Government Model School in Thiruvananthapuram. He later pursued his bachelor's degree from Mahatma Gandhi College and Master of Arts in Philosophy from University College Thiruvananthapuram. Priyadarshan was a voracious reader, which sparked his interest in writing and led him to write short plays and skits for All India Radio in college.
He began his career in the Malayalam Film Industry in the early 1980s. He started his career as a director with Poochakkoru Mookkuthi (1984) in 1984. The film did surprisingly well and ran for almost 100 days in theatres across Kerala. He continued this slapstick comedy style and later made Oodarathuammava Aalariyam (1984) and Onnanam Kunnil Oradi Kunnil (1985).
Later that year, he demonstrated versatility by directing the crime drama Parayanumvayya Parayathirikkanumvayya (1985). In the same year, Priyadarshan made his first film with Mohanlal titled Punnaram Cholli Cholli (1985).
1988 was a landmark year in Priyadarshan's career. He directed Vellanakalude Naadu (1988) with Mohanlal in the lead role. It was a political satire crime film that revolved around the prevalent corruption in the country. The film was the biggest hit of that year and successfully ran for 200 days in theatres.
Later that year, he directed and released Chithram (1988), his career's biggest hit. The film completed 366 days in the theatres and broke all the records of his previous collections.
Later, these records were broken by his other film, Kilukkam (1991), released in 1991. Kilukkam starred Mohanlal, Revathi, and Jagathy Sreekumar in lead roles. Priyadarshan's next three releases - Abhimanyu (1991), Advaitham (1991), and Thenmavin Kombath (1994) were also commercially successful and ran for 100 days in the theatres.
Priyadarshan actively worked in the Malayalam film industry for almost two decades (the 1980s and 1990s). After this, he took a short break from Malayalam cinema. He then started focusing on Hindi cinema. He worked as a director and screenwriter in Hindi cinema for nearly a decade.
Priyadarshan debuted in Hindi cinema with Muskurahat (1992), a remake of his film Kilukkam. While the movie didn't perform well at the box office, he made a comeback with the action-crime film Gardish (1993), starring Jackie Shroff. The film was a massive hit, earning two Filmfare Awards for Best Action and Best Art Direction.
In 2000, Priyadarshan directed the comedy movie Hera Pheri (2000) starring Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal. The movie is an Indian cult classic and is considered one of the best comedy films in the history of Hindi cinema. Priyadarshan's career in Bollywood took off after Hera Pheri (2000), and he went on to direct comedy blockbusters such as Hungama (2003), Garam Masala (2005), and Phir Hera Pheri (2006).
In 2021, he directed the period drama Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (2021), set in the 16th century. The film, starring Mohanlal, earned Priyadarshan the National Film Award for Best Feature Film.
Priyadarshan has been awarded several state and national awards for his work in Hindi and Malayalam cinema. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Film (Critics) for Virasat (1997) in 1997 and the Filmfare Award for Best Director in 2009 for his movie Kanchivaram (2008). In addition to his cinema accolades, the then President of India also awarded Priyadarshan a Padma Shri in 2012 for his contribution to Indian cinema.- Director
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Ram Gopal Varma was born in Hyderabad, the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. He initially was a video store owner before eventually becoming one of India's leading film directors. A film buff during his youth, Varma would watch both American and Indian cinema regularly. As a young man, he attended Siddhartha Engineering College in Vijayawada. Varma started his career in telugu cinema (the Hyderabad film industry), where he made a huge mark with his debut film Shiva, a violent and stylized actioner set in a college backdrop. At the age of 28, with little film training, Varma was able to convince Nagarjuna, a young Telugu star, to act in his debut picture. Nagarjuna was drawn by the narration of the script and intelligence displayed by the young Varma. Shiva was a landmark hit for the industry and was remade by Varma in the hindi language a year later.
His next was the exciting adventure film, Kshana Kshanam, starring Venkatesh and Sridevi. Varma followed this up with such films as - Raatri, a homage to 'The Exorcist' starring Revati and Om Puri (which Varma would remake over a decade later in Hindi as Bhoot) and Antham, a stylized crime drama, with Nagarjuna and Urmila Matondkar (which Varma would also rework later as Satya) - but was not able to attain the commercial success of his first feature. His next release Gaayam, with Jagapathi Babu and Urmila Matondkar, was a violent crime drama set in Hyderabad. The screenplay was co-written by tamil film director Mani Ratnam, and the script based on 'The Godfather'. It became a success for Varma. He then decided to start his own production banner, Varma Corporation Limited, and produced successful telugu films such as Money (remade later as Love Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega), Money Money (its sequel), Gulabi and Anaganaga Oka Roju.
His first huge success in hindi cinema (the Mumbai film industry) was the commercial blockbuster Rangeela, a stylish romantic drama with Aamir Khan and Urmila Matondkar. A.R. Rahman, a tamil music composer, was introduced to hindi audiences by Varma with this film and won the award for best film music.
Varma followed up with the ground breaking gangster saga Satya, a violent crime epic set in the Mumbai underworld. The film was gritty and realistic, reinventing the crime genre in Indian cinema. Varma had done extensive research for the film, and reworked certain elements of his earlier film Antham. Satya was widely considered Varma's first true masterwork. Made on a shoestring budget and with new faces, the film won awards for actor Manoj Bajpai and music composer Vishal Bharadwaj. Satya became a turning point in Varma's career, winning best picture of the year, and Varma would be forever associated with Mumbai noirs.
Varma then, with fellow director Shekhar Kapur, created a joint film production company in 1998 called India Talkies. The first venture of the production house was the ambitious terrorist drama 'Dil Se', with Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. The film was a box office dud, and India Talkies would be short lived. Varma would return to focusing on his own production house Varma Corp.
The hard hitting masterpiece 'Shool' followed shortly after, written and produced by Varma. The film depicted the life of an honest police officer in the violent and harsh rural setting of Bihar. The film was a commercial and critical success with both Manoj Bajpai and Sayaji Shinde winning awards for their performances. Varma lightened things up next with the romantic drama 'Mast'. The film was inspired by Varma's own college days, and featured Aftab Shivdasani in an award-winning turn as a film crazy college student.
Varma decided afterwards to only direct films in the Mumbai film industry. He believed there was more talent in Mumbai than in southern film cities like Chennai and Hyderabad. Varma had always admired directors such as Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihlani, and Gulzar. He considers Kalyug, Ardh Satya, and Mere Apne among his favorite Indian films of all time. At a time when popular Indian Cinema featured either over the top action films or glamorous love stories, Varma's films were more rooted and realistic. Varma is known to frequently cut out song and dance sequences in his films, which are usually commonplace in Bollywood. His films almost always deal with the contemporary and urban, usually set in the city of Mumbai. He often uses Indian stage actors in his films rather than established bollywood stars. Mainly known for creating the 'Mumbai noir', Varma brought psychological depth and cinematic virtuosity to genre films.
More recently, Varma returned with the organized crime masterpiece 'Company'. The film was again set in the Mumbai underworld, and was based on real life Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his criminal outfit D-Company. The film featured award-winning performances by Ajay Devgan, Vivek Oberoi and Manisha Koirala. The film also won awards for best editing by Chandan Arora and best story by Jaideep Sahni. The film was lauded by critics and audiences alike.
His latest release Naach, which Varma called his best film yet, was a largely self reflective piece, about the relationship between an idealistic choreographer and an ambitious actor. The film had a weak commercial run but was liked by critics. In a recent interview with the Indian Express newspaper, the filmmaker criticized Indian audiences saying "I gave Ayn Rand to a Municipal School."
He spends most of his time these days producing small budget films for his successful production house Varma Corp. Though not always credited, he is involved in all aspects of his productions, often believed to 'ghost direct' many of the films. He produces films at a fast speed that is unfamiliar to the Indian Film Industry. He has had many recent successes including - 'Ab Tak Chhappan', based on the experiences of famed Mumbai police Daya Naik, 'D', a prequel to his earlier hit Company based on the early years of Dawood Ibrahim during his days under Pathan underworld boss Karim Lala, 'Ek Hasina Thi', a female revenge thriller, and finally 'Road'. He has also produced lighter films such as 'Love Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega' and 'Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon'.- Writer
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Trivikram Srinivas is an Indian screenwriter and director famous for his works in Telugu Cinema. Hailed by his admirers as "Guruji" and "Maatala Maanthrikudu" or the "Wizard of Words", he is famous for his witty and thought provoking dialogues. Born as Akella Naga Srinivasa Sarma, he started his career as a dialogue and scriptwriter for many hit movies like Swayamvaram (1999), Nuvve Kavali (2000), Nuvvu Naaku Nachchav (2001) and Malliswari (2004) to name a few. He debuted as director with the critically acclaimed movie Nuvve.. Nuvve... (2002). He later went on to direct many successful movies with big stars in the lead.- Writer
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The man who revolutionized Tamil-language cinema, Mani Ratnam is the biggest director in south India and one of the most respected directors in all of India. Each of his films contain its own unique style, with beautifully photographed songs and unique back-lighting. However, his films contain substance as well as style--Ratnam has dealt with a wide variety of topics, from the classic Indian love story to political thrillers.
He was born in Madras in 1956. Filmmaking was in his blood; he was the son of film producer 'Venus Gopalratnam' and his brother was G. Venkateswaran, a film distributor turned producer. Ironically, however, he studied at Madras University and received a management degree at the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai, and had initially started out as a management consultant. His first film, Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983), starring Anil Kapoor, didn't make many waves, although it won the State Award from Karnataka that year, but even though he made two films in Tamil and one in Malayalam, nothing worked for him until he broke through with Mouna Ragam (1986). Starring Revathi, the film told the tale of a woman who, although forced into an arranged marriage, chooses to maintain a platonic relationship with her husband. The film was noted for its sophisticated approach and execution of an extremely sensitive topic.
His next film, Nayakan (1987), was also arguably his greatest. A take-off on Francis Ford Coppola' legendary The Godfather (1972), it established Ratnam as the leading director of Tamil-language Cinema and won its leading actor Kamal Haasan the National Award for Best Actor. The film draws on 30 years of Tamil Nadu's celebrity images and directly played to the anti-Hindi feelings of Tamil Nadu when the protagonist, beaten up, tells the Hindi policeman in Bombay, "If I ever hit you, you will die!"
Then came the best of his early work - Agni Natchathiram (1988), Geethanjali (1989), and Anjali (1990). The first was a tale of conflict between two step-brothers. Shot with glossy camera work, the film resembled a cross between an advertisement and a music video, and set a trend for a whole new visual style in Tamil-language Cinema. The next, Geethanjali (1989), shot in Ooty to create a soft and poetic mood, was a touching love story between two terminally ill people with less than six months left. The third, Anjali (1990), about a disabled child brought back to her family with two normal children had been chosen by India to be sent to the Oscars for Best Foreign-language Film, but it did not receive a nomination. The next year saw his first, and only collaboration so far, with the Tamil superstar Rajni Kant in the film Thalapathi (1991). It also starred Mamooty, along side a host of other actor. This star studded film was a gritty tale of an orphan who grows up to become a notorious gang member in Chennai. The story was inspired by the great epic of Mahabharata.
It was Roja (1992) that made Ratnam a household name all over India. A patriotic love story set against the backdrop of Kashmiri terrorism, the film was dubbed in Hindi and became a huge national success. It enforced Ratnam as a director of style and substance, as well as proving a highly auspicious debut for the now-acclaimed music director A.R. Rahman, whom Ratnam had discovered. It helped that India's at-the-time election commissioner T. N. Seshan took the rare step of officially endorsing the film. Thiruda Thiruda (1993), a remake of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) was a misfire, but Ratnam bounced back with Bombay (1995), a politically charged romance between a Hindu man and a Muslim woman during the 1993 riots in Mumbai. The film underwent some controversy due to its slightly anti-Muslim viewpoint, but it contributed widely to the success of the film.
Continuing his political obsession, Ratnam made Iruvar (1997), based on the MGR-Karunanidhi affair, and Dil Se.. (1998), which starred superstars Manisha Koirala and Shah Rukh Khan. The latter was Ratnam's first Hindi-language film. Based on the northeast Indian problem, it told the story of a radio executive and a revolutionary. It had an excellent cast, beautifully crafted scenes, and most of all one of A.R. Rahman's greatest tunes--but did not go down too well with the audience, who hailed it as a strange and confusing film that headed nowhere. However, today it is held as ahead of its time, being that it was shot pre-9/11, and is now hailed as a contemporary classic.
He returned to familiar ground with Alai Payuthey (2000), which tackled the story of a couple in love that goes through the trials and tribulations of marriage. His subsequent film, Kannathil Muthamittal (2002), which told the tale of an adopted girl meeting her terrorist mother, saw Ratnam back in form as one of the greatest storytellers in Indian Cinema. His next film, Yuva (2004), saw Ratnam return to Hindi-language cinema after six years, but in spite of some fine flourishes, the film largely failed to work. However, don't take him too lightly: he is sure to return with something new next time....- Writer
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Koratala Siva was born on 15 June 1975 in Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a writer and director, known for Janatha Garage (2016), Srimanthudu (2015) and Mirchi (2013).- Director
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Boyapati Sreenu, is an Indian film director. Best known for directing action films, Sreenu has garnered two state Nandi Awards, and two "TSR National Awards" for his works.[1][2] In 2005, Srinu made his directorial debut with Bhadra, which starred Ravi Teja, Meera Jasmine, and Prakash Raj. Tulasi was his second film.- Writer
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Best known for his commercially storytelling abilities acclaimed writer-director Puri Jagannadh was born September 1, 1966 in Kothapalli, Andhra Pradesh, India. Over the course of 20 years of filmmaking, Puri Jagannadh has gone from small budget independent films to working on some of the biggest blockbusters ever made on Indian silver screen making heroes to super stars through his films!
Director Puri Jagannadh is considered as the Star Maker & Path Breaker of Tollywood. His dynamism in crafting each & every character of his films,his ease in redefining attitude, characterization & mannerism of all his actors, his super race screenplay and above all his command of dialogues & stories etc., made him one of the most successful directors of his time!
Hailed by his numerous fans & admirers as "Guruji" ,"The Star Maker" ,"The Rebellion" and "Gun of Words", he is famous for his films with sensible screenplay and dialogues without missing the commercial aspects required to acquire the Box office.
Puri Jagannadh is well known for his mark way of filmmaking. His biggest USP is the power of his pen and the rapid speed with which he shoots any and all his film.He is known as 'The' Super fast director of Tollywood,ever! An it's well known fact that any actor or actress who works with him will get a 360 degree change over, right from the attire to their attitude in the film which indeed makes him a hot selling cake in the market.
It's the doors of Puri Jagannadh which gets the knock by any star(s) or producers who wants to introduce their heir to the film industry. Puri Jagannadh has introduced many actors & actress like Ram Charan,Sai Ram Shanker,Puneeth RajKumar of Kanada,Anuksha Shetty( The Bahubali fame) Ameesha Patel, Renu Desai,Asin Thottumkal,Rakshita,Ayesha Takia, Haniska Motwani,Neha Sharma,Aah Sharma,Aditi Arya, Kangna Ranaut, etc all later went on to become superstars in both South and North film Industry. He is considered as the Golden Hand for actors & actress of Tollywood.
Right from the age of 7 years, Puri Jagannadh started writing short stories out of his interest and was an ardent book reader from his very childhood. By the age of 14 he almost read the holy Mahabharath,Bhagavad Gita, writing of the renowned writers & social philosophers like Gudipati Venkatachalam,Muppala Ranganayakamma etc,., which helped him to develop a strong character of his own and to develop his very own style & perspective of looking at things.
He started his career as an assistant director to Ram Gopal Varma and had worked for several Telugu films like Shiva(1990) Ninne Pelladata (1996) His Telugu directorial debut, Badri (2000) was a blockbuster, starring Pawan Kalyan in the lead role, along with Renu Desai, Prakash Raj, and Amisha Patel in supporting roles.
In 2006, Puri Jagannadh captivated audiences big time with his Action-Thriller 'Pokiri(2006) starring Mahesh Babu which he directed and produced. The commercial action thriller was a blockbuster, earning a distributor's share of Rs. 420 million. The film grossed Rs. 660 million worldwide and remained the highest-grossing Telugu film for three years and smashed all the previous records of all the films till date it was released. The same film was remade into various languages like Hindi,Tamil, Kanada etc by stars like Vijay (Tamil) Salman Khan (Hindi) & Darshan (Kanada) which too became super sensation hits. Pokiri's success all over catapulted Puri Jagannadh to nationwide recognition and every super star from all parts of the country urged to work with him,at least once. Pokiri, premiered at the 7th IIFA Film Festival held in Dubai.
Puri Jagannadh made many super duper commercial blockbusters hits throughout starting from his very first film 'Badri'(2000) and carried the legacy by 'Itlu Sravani Subramanyam'(2001) 'Appu' (2002) 'Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi' (2003) 'Sivamani'(2003) 143 (2004) 'Pokiri' (2006) 'Desamuduru' (2007) 'Chirutha' (2007) 'Bujjigadu'(2008) 'Neninthe(2008) 'Ek Niranjan' (2009) 'Businessman(2012)' 'Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu' (2012) 'Iddarammayilatho'(2013) 'Heart Attack' (2014) 'Temper' (2015) 'ISM' (2016) 'Paisa Vasool' (2017) etc.,which all went to become biggest blockbusters with a bombastic bang at Box Office making Puri Jagannadh one of the most super successful commercial directors of South Indian Film Industry.
He produces films under his own production companies, 'Puri Jagannadh Touring Talkies', 'Puri Connects' & 'Vaishno Academy'. He bankrolled many films on his own like Idiot(2002) , Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi(2003) Sivamani(2003) 143(2004) Pokiri(2006) Heart Attack (2014) etc., and all turned out to super successful at box office which not only made him a successful director but also proved him to be a successful producer too.
In the year 2011, Puri Jagannadh made 'Bbuddah... Hoga Terra Baap' with Indian Super Star and world wide renowned actor "Amitabh Bachchan" and the film turned out to be a blockbuster in B-town and Puri Jagannadh sent a strong shock wave to B-town through his dialogues, taking and by the way he could see and present Amitabh Bachchan as a anger young man, with a whole new different attire and attitude.
In his 20 years in film fraternity, he has made 33 films (with 90% success rate) which by itself is a unbeatable record for any director of his time period to break.
One Film on shot, one on pre-production and one on post production, this is how Puri Jagannadh tends to work, nonstop! To stop or to rest is something he doesn't believe in! There were many a times where he had 3 releases a year.
At present Puri Jagannadh is making a launch film for none other than his very own son 'Akash Puri' entitles 'Mehbooba' which is slated to be a high intense love story on the backdrop of 1971 Indo-Pak war, which is one of the most awaited film in South Indian.
'Mehbooba' fetched nationwide attention & grabbed the eyeballs of the people throughout the nation with it's teaser which got released recently, for the span,standard of making & for the breathtaking visuals in it,which is being produced by Puri Jagannadh himself on his home banner 'Puri Connects'
Owned Production Houses:
Puri Jagannadh Touring Talkies Puri Connects Vaishno Academy Puri Sangeet- Writer
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Arun Kumar ( born 21 September 1986 ) mononymously known as Atlee, is a film director, screenwriter and producer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. As a film maker, he is known for his directorial debut "Raja Rani", starring Nayathara, Nazriya, Arya and Jai, produced by Fox Star Studios, for which he was awarded best debut director by Vijay Awards and Tamil Nadu Sate award for best dialogue writer. Following the massive success of his debut film, he directed his next blockbuster hit " Theri " (2016) starring actor Vijay as the lead. He directed his next films " Mersal " ( 2017 ) and " Bigil " ( 2019 ), also featuring actor Vijay. Atlee's upcoming film is Jawan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Vijay Sethupathy and Nayanthara in the lead roles. The film is produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and is scheduled for release in June 2023 in five languages.- Writer
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Jeethu Joseph is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. He has also worked in a few Tamil and Bollywood films. Jeethu made his directional debut with the 2007 police procedural film Detective and later went on to direct five successful films: the family drama Mummy & Me (2010), the comedy My Boss (2012), the thriller Memories (2013), the family-thriller Drishyam (2013), the revenge-drama Oozham (2016) and the action-thriller Aadhi (2018). Jeethu gained popularity after the release of Drishyam, which became the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever. Jeethu made his Tamil debut with Papanasam (2015), Thambi (2019) and Hindi with The Body (2019).- Writer
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K. Balachander was born on 9 July 1930 in Nannilam, Madras Presidency, British India. He was a writer and director, known for Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981), Thaneer Thaneer (1981) and Apoorva Raagangal (1975). He was married to Rajam. He died on 23 December 2014 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.- Director
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Dasari Narayana Rao was born on 4 May 1947 in Palakol, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a director and writer, known for Meghasandesam (1983), Kante Koothurne Kanu (1998) and Gorintaku (1979). He was married to Dasari Padma. He died on 30 May 2017 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.- Writer
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A Legend of Telugu Cinema from South India, K.Raghavendra Rao's career spans 4 decades during which he has directed 110 films to date and has produced over 25 films in various Indian Languages.
He started his career successfully in 1975 having a long association with the icon of Telugu Cinema, the late N.T.R (ex-chief minister) and continues into the 21st century having worked though 5 generations of stars that include NTR & ANR, Krishna & ShobanBabu, Chiranjeevi & Balakrishna, Nagarjun & Venkatesh, Mahesh Babu, Jr. NTR & Allu Arjun.
He is credited with having longstanding relationships with some of the biggest stars of Telugu cinema noteworthy of them being 12 films with the late NTR ( a resurgence with which he went on to become the chief minister), 8 films with Chiranjeevi ( the most by any director) and 17 films with Sridevi (the most by any director). He has introduced and launched the careers of Venkatesh (son of D.Rama Naidu), Mahesh Babu (son of Krishna), Jr. NTR (grandson of Late NTR) and Allu Arjun (nephew of Chiranjeevi) apart from many heroines like Sridevi, Jaya Prada, Ramya Krishna, etc.
His foray into Hindi cinema in the 80's included blockbuster hits like Himatwaala, Tofha, Justice Choudary, Farz Aur Kanoon, Jani Dhost, among others(16 films). He is credited with the resurgence of Jeethandra as the jumping jack of Hindi cinema. As per independent estimates, the box office impact of his Hindi films adjusted for inflation in today's terms is over Rs.200 crores and puts him among the most successful directors in Indian film history. (Source IBOS Networks).
He has also credited with directing all 3 generations of families that include the Late NTR, ANR (Annapoorna Studios), D.Rama Naidu (Suresh Productions) and L.V Prasad ( Prasad Labs & ACS). His assistants include successful directors like B.Gopal, Kondandaram Reddy, S.S. Raj Mauli, Chandrasekar, YVS Choudary, etc.
He has also served as the Electronic Media Advisor, a Cabinet rank for the Chandrababu Naidu Govt. He has to his credit 1 National Award, over 10 State awards, 2 Filmfare awards and a Filmfare Life Time Achievement Award for his contribution to Indian Cinema.- Writer
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Prashant Neel said in an interview that the film has been inspired from the epic Mahabharata completely. The gangster family of the Kolar Gold Fields is based on the Kuru family where the old freaking Suryavardhan resembles Dhritrasthra/Bhishma. Rocky's character is completely based on Karna (the protagonist of Mahabharata) who enters in the ongoing feud of the family and emerges as the hero in the midst of this feud. Just like Mahabharata, Karna changes the fortunes of the Kuru family. Rocky goes to the Gold fields and changes the destiny of the entire gangster family and its leaders. Rocky rises from low streets to becoming the most powerful person on the planet. He is charming and handsome hero. He is the helper, savior or Daanaveer for the poor people. He is firm to his words.- Writer
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Bala was born on 11 July 1966 in Theni, Tamil Nadu, India. He is a writer and director, known for Sethu (1999), Paradesi (2013) and Naan Kadavul (2009). He is married to Muthumalar.- Writer
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Sundar C. was born on 21 January 1968 in Erode, Tamil Nadu, India. He is a writer and producer, known for Aambala (2015), Janakiraman (1997) and Rendu (2006). He has been married to Khushbu Sundar since 9 March 2000. They have two children.- Writer
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Hari was born on 26 December 1972 in Nazareth, Tamil Nadu, India. He is a writer and director, known for Singam (2010), Saamy (2003) and Singam 2 (2013). He is married to Preetha Vijaykumar.- Writer
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Murugadoss Arunasalam, commonly known by his stage name AR Murugadoss, is an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter who predominantly works in the Tamil Film Industry. He is best known for his action Tamil films and Telugu films and for remaking them in Hindi cinema. Murugadoss won the Filmfare Award for Best Director for his 2014 Tamil action-drama film Kaththi.Murugadoss was born in Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu. The initials "AR" refer to his father's name Arunasalam and were added after Murugadoss signed his first film, Dheena, in 2001. Murugadoss currently resides in Virugambakkam, Chennai. Murugadoss had his schooling at the Government Higher Secondary School and studied BA in Bishop Heber College, Tiruchirapalli. His brother, Dileepan made his acting debut with Vathikuchi, which is Murugadoss' production venture.- Director
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S.R. Puttana Kanagal was born in 1933 in Kanagal, Karnataka, India. He was a director and writer, known for Ranganayaki (1981), Dharmasere (1979) and Maanasa Sarovara (1982). He died on 5 June 1985 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Samuthirakani is a film director, singer, screenwriter, dubbing artist, and an Indian actor who works in the Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam film industries.
Samuthirakani studied at Rajapalayam Rajus College and completed his B.Sc. in Mathematics. He also studied at Ambedkar Law College and got his Bachelor of Law.
He was an assistant to director Sundar K. Vijayan in 1997. He also worked as an assistant for K. Balachander for Paarthale Paravasam (2001), which was also his acting debut in Tamil movies and Anni (2001 - 2003).
Samuthirakani ventured into the direction in the early 2000s and made Unnai Charanadaindhen (2003) for S.P.B. Charan. His directed movie Naadodigal (2009) got him appreciation as a filmmaker. This movie earned him the Vijay Award for Favourite Director.
Samuthirakani also appeared as ACP Sangayya in the Tamil movie Easan (2010). He received the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Character Artiste (Male).
He also directed Telegu movies like Sambo Siva Sambho (2010), which was a Remake of Naadodigal (2009), and Janda Pai Kapiraju (2015)
Samuthirakani's Tamil movie Poraali (2011) got him another Vijay Award for Best Dialogue Writer. His other Tamil films, Nimirndhu Nil (2014) and Appa (2016), were later remade in Malayalam, Telugu, and Kannada. Appa (2016) and its Malayalam remake Aakasha Mittayee (2017), was directed by Samuthirakani.
In 2014, Samuthirakani appeared as Raghuvaran's father in the superhit movie Velaiyilla Pattathari (2014). He then appeared in the superhit Tamil film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), for which he won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor - Tamil. He also appeared in the blockbuster Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011).
Samuthirakani also got a role in the movie Kaala (2018), which starred Rajinikanth. His film Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020) got him the SIIMA Best Actor in a Negative Role award.
Surathirakani also directed Naadodigal 2 (2020) and appeared as the lead actor in the Telugu film, Aakashavaani (2021). He then directed Vinodhaya Sitham (2021).
In 2022, the actor worked in several Tamil and Telugu movies like Bheemla Nayak Bheemla Nayak (2022) in Telugu, Maaran Maaran (2022), Yaanai Yaanai (2022) in Tamil, Macherla Niyojakavargam Macherla Niyojakavargam (2022) in Telugu, etc.
One of Samuthirakani's most iconic performances remains Venkateswarulu, Sitarama Raju's uncle, in the superhit Telugu movie RRR RRR (2022). S.S. Rajamouli's S.S. Rajamouli RRR RRR (2022) has grabbed attention not only on domestic fronts but also on international grounds by getting an Oscar, the first Indian feature film to do so.
In 2023, Samuthirakani was seen in Thunivu Thunivu (2023), Naan Kadavul Illai Naan Kadavul Illai (2023), Thalaikoothal Thalaikoothal (2023), Vaathi Vaathi (2023) and Dasara Dasara (2023).- Director
- Actor
- Writer
The die-hard romantic Bharathiraja was born in Alli Nagaram, a small, sylvan village near Theni as Chinnasamy on 17 July 1941. He was the fifth child to his parents, Periya Maya Thevar and Meenatchiammaal alias Karuthammaal. His childhood passions were deer hunting and literature. As a full-blooded youth, he dreamt of making it to the dream world of filmmaking. He had an unremitting passion for acting and all the other theatrical pursuits right from his earliest days as a vagrant youth. He also happened to be a good platform speaker and went places spreading social awareness among the unlettered villagers. By the way, he got a job as a Sanitary Inspector in the Public Health Department in 1963, at a monthly salary of Indian Rs.75/-
Bharathiraja wrote, directed and acted in his first dramas "Oor Sirikkirathu" (The Town Laughs) and "Summa Oru Kadhai" (Just a Story) in Theni Pazhani Chettiyapatti village during festival seasons. This kindled the creative spirit in him and gave him the confidence to look for an opening in Tamil film industry.
As he moved to Madras to seek greener pastures and to give vent to his creative thirst, Bharathiraja staged his "Summa Oru Kadhai" and "Adhigaaram" (Power) with the help of his friends. He also took part in radio dramas and music programs. But since these opportunities were too infrequent to be depended upon for a living, he took up a job in a petrol bunk keeping his cinema ambitions intact.
After a fairly long struggle, Bharathiraja at last joined Puttannaa Ganagal as an assistant director in 1967 and still considers him his Guru. Eventually working with Krishnan Nair, Avinasi Mani and A. Jaganathan, he learned the grammar of film making and got his first directorial opportunity in 1977.
Bharathiraja is married to Chandra Leelavathi, and they have two children - son Manoj (the hero of ' Tajmahal') and daughter Janani.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Cheran was born on 12 December 1970 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. He is an actor and writer, known for Autograph (2004), Porkkalam (1998) and Thavamai Thavamiruntu (2005). He is married to Selvarani.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Rakshit Shetty is an Indian actor, writer, producer, and filmmaker who is also the recipient of two Filmfare awards.
Shetty studied in Udupi and completed his graduation at N.M.A.M. Institute of Technology, Nitte, Karkala, in Electronics and Communications Engineering. He ventured into the movie business with short films like Let's Kill Gandhi and other unreleased ventures.
Shetty's first movie was Nam Areal Ond Dina (2010). His second movie was released in 2012 and was named Tuglak (2012).
However, he got his breakthrough in Simple Agi Ondh Love Story (2013), a romantic comedy that received a tremendous response.
Shetty ventured into direction after that and made the movie Ulidavaru Kandanthe (2014), a crime thriller. Because of his dancing skills, Shetty bagged a major role in the movie.
The film won him critical appreciation and two awards - Director's First Time Best Film by the Karnataka State Film Awards and another Best Director award by the Filmfare Awards South.
He featured in other movies like Vaasthu Prakaara (2015), Jaathre (2015), Ricky (2016), Jigar Thanda (2016), and Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu (2016).
Shetty produced and wrote another successful film Kirik Party (2016), in which he acted opposite actress Rashmika Mandanna.
In 2019, he appeared in two movies, Padde Huli (2019) and Avane Srimannarayana (2019).
777 Charlie (2022), which Shetty produced, was first announced in 2017. It took five years for it to be released due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The movie was directed by Kiranraj K under Paramvah Studios. The story was based on the relationship between humans and their pets. The movie also starred Charlie, a Labrador, who had a crucial role in the movie.
He later did movies like Saptha Sagaradaache Ello - Side A (2023) and Richard Anthony.
Shetty has won 14 awards and 22 Nominations in total.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
2022 was a banner year for Rishab Shetty, with his critically-acclaimed Kantara (2022). His father is an astrologer, and his mother is a homemaker. Born as Prashant Shetty, he later adopted the name Rishab Shetty for his screen persona.
After completing his schooling in Kundapura, Shetty decided to pursue Bachelor of Commerce at Vijaya College (BHS FGC) in Jayanagar, Bengaluru. He attended the Government Film and Television Institute in Bengaluru to earn a diploma in filmmaking.
Shetty nurtured dreams of joining the film industry right from his childhood. While studying in class 6, he joined the Durga Parameshwari Yuvaka Sangha and performed as a Yakshagana artist. While at Vijaya College, he joined its theatre group Ranga Sourabha.
Shetty won the best actor award for his title role in the play Ghashiram Kotwal at the national level theatre contest. After Shetty graduated, he started looking for opportunities to get a break as a movie actor. Parallelly, he started doing several odd jobs, such as supplying mineral water cans.
Armed with his diploma in filmmaking, Shetty joined the industry as a clap boy and made his way to become an assistant director in the Kannada movie Cyanide (2006). Shetty's foray into acting began with Tuglak (2012) in the role of a villain. He went on to act in movies like Attahaasa (2013), Lucia (2013), and Ulidavaru Kandanthe (2014) before he donned the hat of a director.
Shetty's directorial debut was Ricky (2016), in which he also played a small role. His next film as a director and actor was Kirik Party (2016), which became a runaway hit. Shetty was adjudicated the Best Director at the 6th SIIMA Awards and the 64th Filmfare Awards South. The film won the 2016 Karnataka State Film Awards as the Best Family Entertainer.
Shetty's next film was Sarkari. Hi. Pra. Shale Kasaragodu, Koduge: Ramanna Rai (2018), where his acting and directorial efforts were applauded by the audience and critics alike. For this film, he won the 66th National Film Awards for Best Children's Film and the 2018 Karnataka State Film Awards for Best Family Entertainer.
As an actor, Shetty's next film was Ambi Ning Vysaitho (2018). Shetty made his debut as the male lead actor in Bell Bottom (2019). His journey as an actor continued with films like Katha Sangama (2019) and Hero (2021).
Shetty's role as a gangster in Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana (2021) earned him appreciation from the audience and critics alike. His next movie was a dual role in Harikathe Alla Girikathe (2022).
Shetty's next film was a critical and commercial blockbuster called Kantara (2022). He directed and acted in dual roles as the protagonist and his father in this Kannada action thriller. It became the second-highest revenue-generating Kannada movie of all time.
Shetty has also made cameo appearances over the years in movies like Avane Srimannarayana (2019), SriKrishna@gmail.com (2021), and Mishan Impossible (2022).
Rishab Shetty's wife is a software engineer, who has also been a costume designer for a few Kannada movies. The couple has two children, a son and daughter.- Director
- Music Department
- Writer
Sathyan Anthikad was born on 3 January 1955 in Thrissur, Kerala, India. He is a director and writer, known for Njan Prakashan (2018), Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal (1999) and Thooval Kottaram (1996). He is married to Nimmi Sathyan.- Director
- Producer
- Actor
L.V. Prasad was born on 17 January 1908 in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a director and producer, known for Jai-Vijay (1977), Bidaai (1974) and Jeene Ki Raah (1969). He was married to Soundarya Manoharamma. He died on 22 June 1994.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Gautham Vasudev Menon (born 25 February 1973), also known as GVM, is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. He has also directed Telugu and Hindi films, which are remakes of his own Tamil films. Many of his films have been critically acclaimed, most notably his romantic films Minnale (2001), Vaaranam Aayiram (2008), Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010) and his thrillers Kaakha Kaakha (2003), Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu (2006) and Yennai Arindhaal (2015). Vaaranam Aayiram won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. Menon produces films through his Photon Kathaas film production company. His production Thanga Meengal (2013) won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. Menon was born to a Malayali father and a Tamil mother on 25 February 1973 in Ottapalam, a town in the Palakkad district of Kerala. Although born in Kerala he grew up in Anna Nagar, Chennai. He earned a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mookambigai College of Engineering, Pudukkottai.- Director
- Art Director
- Writer
Bharathan was born on 14 November 1947 in Vadakkancheri, Trichur, Kerala, British India. He was a director and art director, known for Thevar Magan (1992), Prayanam (1975) and Thakara (1979). He was married to K.P.A.C. Lalitha. He died on 29 July 1998 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Girish Karnad was born on 19th May 1938 in Matheran, Maharashtra. He is acclaimed for his contemporary playwrights in Kannada. He is also an actor, director and screen writer. He was conferred Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by the Government of India and won four Filmfare Awards where three are Filmfare Award for Best Director - Kannada and one Filmfare Best Screenplay Award.- Writer
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Siddique was born on 1 October 1962 in Kochi, Kerala, India. He was a writer and director, known for Bodyguard (2011), Hera Pheri (2000) and Big Brother (2020). He was married to Seena. He died on 8 August 2023 in Kochi, Kerala, India.- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Venkat Prabhu is the son of director and music director Gangai Amaran. Venkat Prabhu started his career as a singer in the film industry and later became an actor, acting in character roles rather than in the lead. He hogged the spotlight for the first time when he turned director with the summer hit Chennai 600028, after which he directed the comedy thriller film Saroja. This proved to be a successful box-office hit. He followed it up with Goa, which was appreciated for its entertaining and fresh storyline and was a box office hit. He is filming Mankatha with Ajith Kumar along with an ensemble cast. As a lead hero, he acted in a film called Poonjolai directed by his father in 1997 but the film was never released. He also acted in Agathiyan's Kadhal Samrajyam, which featured him in one of the lead roles and remains unreleased as well.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Selvaraghavan is an Indian movie director, actor, and screenwriter who predominantly works in the Tamil film industry. He has directed numerous genre films, from romantic to science fiction and fantasy; he has done it all. He also owns a production company named White Elephants, along with Yuvan Shankar Raja and Arvind Krishna.
His brother Dhanush is an acclaimed actor, and his sisters are doctors.
He completed his Bachelor of Engineering in mechanical engineering before he began working in the Tamil film industry since his family insisted that he complete his education before joining the film industry. He also worked several part-time jobs while in college until he found satisfaction as a writer.
Selvaraghavan's debut work as a screenwriter and director was in the Tamil film Thulluvadho Ilamai (2002), which also starred his brother Dhanush and marked his first role.
He also wrote the lyrics of the song Kann Munnae Eththanai Nilavu in the film. Selvaraghavan and his family invested all their savings in this venture. The movie started slowly but picked up pace later and became a sleeper hit at the box office.
He went on to direct films like Kaadhal Konden (2003), which was a romantic thriller and starred Sonia Agarwal, and veteran comedian Nagesh. The film became a blockbuster, giving Dhanush and his career a breakthrough in the Tamil Film Industry. The film was remade across the country in several languages. He directed several movies, including 7/G Rainbow Colony (2004), a juvenile love story, and Pudhu Pettai (2006), featuring Dhanush as the main lead alongside Sonia Agarwal once again.
He then ventured into Telugu films. His first Telugu film as a writer and director is Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule (2007). The film starring Venkatesh Daggubati and Trisha Krishnan explores the themes of romance and drama. He took experiences from friends who were unemployed graduates like the film's protagonist. The film opened with positive reviews and eventually became one of the biggest successes of the Telugu Film Industry that year.
He wrote Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008) in 2008. Then he went on to direct and wrote Ayirathil Oruvan (2010), where he wrote the lyrics of all the songs except Thai Thindra Mannae and Pemmanae, Mayakkam Enna (2011), which he coproduced with Gemini Film Circuit, Irandam Ulagam (2013), which amounted to Rs. 60 crores was his costliest production, Maalai Nerathu Mayakkam (2016), NGK (2019), where he wrote the song Pothachaalum, Nenjam Marappathillai (2021), and Naane Varuven (2022).
He started working as an actor in 2022 with the film Beast (2022). And then he went on to act in other films like Saani Kaayidham (2022), which was released on the OTT Platform Amazon Prime Video, Naane Varuven (2022), which was a cameo appearance, Bakasuran (2023).
Selvaraghavan was nominated for the best director award at Filmfare South Awards in 2004 for Kaadhal Konden (2003), in 2005 for 7/G Rainbow Colony (2004), in 2007 for Pudhu Pettai (2006) and in 2010 for Ayirathil Oruvan (2010). Furthermore, he won the world record film at the Edison Award for the movie Ayirathil Oruvan (2010). He was also nominated at the SIMA Awards in the best film category for the movie Mayakkam Enna (2011).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Bandreddi Sukumar, popularly known as Sukumar, is a screenwriter, film director, and producer of Telugu films.
Sukumar was born to Tirupathi Rao Naidu, a rice trader, and Veera Veni, a homemaker. He studied at a Zilla Parishad High School in Razole in Andhra Pradesh. He went on to complete his master's degree in Mathematics.
Before joining the film industry, Sukumar worked as a mathematics lecturer at a junior college in Bhimavaram. He decided to switch careers when he felt his life as a lecturer had become too mundane.
After moving to Hyderabad to pursue a career in the film industry, he began writing for TV serials and films. He later worked as an assistant director in a few movies, including Manasichi Choodu (1999).
Sukumar made his directorial debut with Arya (2004), a romantic entertainer starring Allu Arjun, Siva Balaji, and Anuradha Mehta. He also wrote the screenplay for the film. The story revolves around three college students with love as the key theme. The film was a massive blockbuster and ran over 420 days across eight centres. Sukumar won the Filmfare South Award (2004) for Best Director - Telugu for this movie. He also won the Nandi Award for Best Screenplay Writer in 2004. The film brought him into the limelight overnight.
His second directorial venture was Jagadam (2007), an action movie that had Ram Pothineni and Isha Sahani playing the lead roles. He was the screenplay writer for this movie as well. The film depicts the story of a child who wants to become a thug growing up and the challenges he has to face later in his life due to his fascination.
He then wrote and directed Arya 2 (2009) next. It was the namesake sequel of Arya (2004) and featured Allu Arjun, Navdeep, and Kajal Aggarwal in lead roles. The film deals with the love-hate relationship between two childhood friends who fall in love with the same girl. Arya 2 received mixed reviews from critics.
In his next film, 100% Love (2011), Sukumar explored the romantic comedy genre in which Naga Chaitanya Akkineni and Tamannaah Bhatia portrayed the main characters. The storyline was about the ego hassles between two college students who are very competitive in their studies and have fallen in love with each other. The movie proved to be a big hit.
In 2014, Sukumar directed the psychological action thrille 1: Nenokkadine (2014), with Mahesh Babu and Kriti Sanon in lead roles. The film was about a rockstar with a psychological condition who seeks to avenge his parent's death, and it received mixed reviews from critics.
The same year, he directed I Am That Change (2014), a short film starring Allu Arjun. It received a positive response.
He next directed To Father with Love (2016), an action thriller in which N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Rajendra Prasad, and Rakul Preet Singh played the lead characters. The film revolves around the emotional relationship between a son and his father, spanning the last month of the latter's life. It got positive responses from critics.
His next venture as a writer-cum-director was Rangasthalam 1985 (2018), a period drama starring Ram Charan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and Aadhi in pivotal roles. The film narrates the story of two brothers and their fight against corrupt village governance. It was a massive hit at the box office and became one of the highest-grossing Telegu movies of 2018.
Sukumar then directed Pushpa: The Rise - Part 1 (2021), in which the lead roles were played by Allu Arjun, Fahadh Faasil, and Rashmika Mandanna. The film traces the story of a labourer name Pushpa who rises through the ranks of a smuggling syndicate dealing in red sandalwood and his tussle with the law regarding illegal trade. The film was a huge commercial success and became one of the highest-grossing Indian films of 2021.
Sukumar married Thabitha Sukumar in 2009.The couple met at a screening of his directorial film, Arya. They gradually fell in love, but Thabitha's parents were opposed to the match. The couple married in the presence of Sukumar's parents and her sister. Thabitha's parents later accepted their relationship. The couple has two kids, a son and a daughter.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Srikanth Addala was born in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is known for Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu (2013), Narappa (2021) and Kotha Bangaru Lokam (2008). He is married to Raaga Sudha.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
K. Viswanath was born on 19 February 1930 in Peddapulivarru, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a writer and director, known for Sagara Sangamam (1983), Sutradhaarulu (1990) and Sruthilayalu (1987). He was married to Kasinadhuni Jayalakshmi. He died on 2 February 2023 in Hyderabad, India.- Director
- Producer
- Cinematographer
Ranga B.S. was born on 11 November 1917 in Nagamangala, Mandya, Mysore, British India [now Nagamangala, Mandya, Karnataka, India]. He was a director and producer, known for Mahishasura Mardini (1959), Hasyarathna Ramakrishna (1982) and Chandrahasa (1965). He died on 12 December 2010 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.- Director
- Writer
- Composer
- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Sekhar Kammula was born on 4 February 1972 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a writer and director, known for Happy Days (2007), Anand (2004) and Love Story (2021). He is married to Srividya Kammula.- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Krishna Vamsi was born on 28 July 1962 in Tadepalligudem, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a writer and director, known for Khadgam (2002), Govindudu Andari Vaadele (2014) and Anthahpuram (1998). He has been married to Ramya Krishnan since 12 June 2003. They have one child.- Director
- Actor
- Composer
R. Narayana Murthy is known for Nirbhaya Bharatham (2013), People's War (2012) and Adavi Diviteelu (1990).- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Surender Reddy is an Telugu Film director who made his directorial debut with Athanokkade movie. His noted films are Kick starring Ravi Teja , Ileana D'Cruz and Race Gurram starring Allu Arjun and Shruti Haasan. All the films he directed except for Athanokkade are the stories written by Vakkantham Vamsi. His movie Kick 2 was released in August 2015 with star hero Ravi Teja[2] It collected an estimate of Rs.6.25 crores (943,000 USD) on its first day, the highest for a Ravi Teja movie crossing Power.- Director
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- Art Director
Popularly known as Bapu was born on 15th December,1933 in Narsapur, Andhrapradesh. Before this Bapu met Ramana in Taylor high school in Narasapur where they studied as classmates for three years until second world war ended. Later when their families moved to Madras where they continued their studies, in 1945 All India Radio (Madras) published a children's story Amma maata vinakapothe which was written by Mollapudi Venkataramana for which Bapu worked as a cartoonist making this their first collaboration. Later Bapu was got graduated from University of Madras in B.com B.L in 1953 and 1955 respectively. Bapu became an expert cartoonist and painter own his own with his own style which caught everyone's eyes. Soon when Bapu wanted to make films Ramana also joined him. By the time Bapu became a director Ramana has got some chances as a writer in the industry. Later Bapu debuted with his directorial and written by Ramana Saakshi in 1967 starring Krishna and Vijaya nirmala which became an instant hit. Entire movie was known to be shot in just 17days completely in outdoors which was first of its kind at that time. This director-writer duo went on to make many well known and noted movies like Balaraju katha, Sampoorna ramayanam, Andala ramudu, Muthyala muggu, Seetha kalyanam, Bhaktha kannappa, Gorantha deepam, Manavoori pandavulu, Tyagayya, Manthrigaari viyyankudu, Pelli pustakam, Mister pellaam. Bapu and Ramana are known for their friendship in Telugu film industry even today. While they collaborated for Srirama Rajyam in 2011 Ramana passed away in the film making and soon after the film's release Bapu also passed away making this film their last one. Bapu has received 2 National film awards, 3 Filmfare awards, 7 state Nandi awards and prestigious Raghupathi Venkaiah award from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Bapu's direction with simplistic and cultural aspects in his films is widely appreciated. Especially his way of showing lead actresses with 'Telugu thanam' is considered undeniably the best. Bapu also widely known for his paintings of characters of epics like ramayana and Mahabharata. Both Bapu and Ramana collaborated for some popular books namely Budugu, Kothi kommachi, Bommalu geeyandi. Bapu who is especially fond Lord Rama has drawn a numerous portraits of him which are unique in field of line drawing. He also received a Life time achievement award from Indian institute of cartoonists. He has designed and illustrated a number of books of puranas and folklore for which he received government awards. Bapu is also known for introducing a whole new font in Telugu which is known to be used even today.- Writer
- Director