Ali is an actor who has acted in all the major languages of India. As an actor, he has completed 1250 films. In addition, for the past sixteen years, he has been helping many people by doing numerous service activities.

Considering Ali’s acting and service, GEEMA, in collaboration with the Karnataka Media Journalists Union, presented him with this Lifetime Achievement Award.

Ali felt very prestigious as this was the first time such an award ceremony was held at the Future Museum in Dubai. In this program, GEEMA presented several awards to many Kannada actors, artists, and businessmen. Only Ali received the award from Telugu

“Instead of being the kind of film you wipe off and forget right after watching, Sarangapani Jatakam is one you’ll talk about for four to five days.”
Director Indraganti Mohana Krishna

Versatile star Priyadarshi plays the title role in the film Sarangapani Jatakam. After Gentleman and Sammohanam, this marks another collaboration between director Indraganti Mohana Krishna and producer Sivalenka Krishna Prasad. The film is set for release on April 25 under the prestigious banner of Sridevi Movies.

The lead actress is Rupa Kodavayur, with Vennela Kishore, Viva Harsha, Avasarala Srinivas, and Sai Srinivas Vadlamani playing key roles. PG Vinda handled cinematography, Vivek Sagar composed the music, and editing was by Venkatesh K Marthand. The recently released trailer has received a very good response. As part of the promotions, Indraganti spoke to the media.

After a long time, you’re bringing out a full-fledged comedy like those by Jandhyala or EVV. How did this come about?

Indraganti:
Back in the day, Telugu cinema would see at least five or six full-length comedies a year. That number has declined. We’ve been leaning more towards action. Even when a comedy does come out, it’s usually not driven by story or character—it’s just a couple of comic scenes. I’ve wanted to make a story-driven comedy for the past 5–6 years. I had a rough idea too.

After Yashoda, producer Sivalenka Krishna Prasad said, “It’s been five years since Sammohanam, let’s do another film.” I shared my idea, and he liked it. Around the same time, I watched Balagam, which starred Priyadarshi. Later, I saw his web series Save the Tigers and his film Mail on Aha. I felt he would be perfect for a humorous film. When I called him and explained, he readily agreed. We locked the project in November 2023 and started shooting by March 2024.

What kind of film is Sarangapani Jatakam going to be?

Usually, comedy films feature a standard set of comedians. This film breaks that mold—everyone plays new, different roles. It’s a full-fledged light-hearted fun film. My aim was to make a movie that people wouldn’t just laugh at and forget, but one that sticks with them—makes them talk about the characters and dialogues for days. This film gave me immense satisfaction. Every filmmaker usually has some dissatisfaction with a project—be it technical or budgetary. But with this film, that was minimal. I found the right cast and could make it exactly the way I envisioned. Personally, I’m very happy with Sarangapani Jatakam.

The underlying theme of this film is astrology. How much do you believe in horoscopes? What homework did you do for this subject?

Indraganti:
I do my homework thoroughly for any subject. When it comes to astrology, I stand in the middle. Some predictions made to me have come true, and some haven’t.

For example, a week before the release of Gentleman in June 2016, I had a major accident. A year before that, in 2015, a friend (not a professional astrologer but someone who loved palm reading) looked at my hand and asked if I had a driver. When I said yes, he warned me not to travel without one between May and August 2016. I forgot about it—until I had the accident in July.

Later, he looked at my birth chart and told me, “You want to be in cinema? You won’t make your first film until you’re 32.” And indeed, I made my first film at 32. Some things happened, others didn’t. So if you ask me whether I believe or not, I’d say I’m still studying it.

This movie doesn’t question beliefs—but explores what happens when belief turns into blind belief. Belief, when constructive, empowers us. Blind belief weakens and destabilizes us—and can lead to irrational behavior that affects not just us but those around us. We’ve portrayed this chaos in a comedic way. There are no lectures or sermons in the film. Everything in life, including belief, should have limits. Belief should strengthen us—not drive us mad. That’s what I wanted to convey.

Every character in the film is unique. The hero, Darshi, works in the automobile industry. His friend, played by Vennela Kishore, is a service consultant. All of Kishore’s dialogues are automobile-themed. We’ve created each character in an interesting way and didn’t mock any individual’s beliefs.

Do you think creative freedom today needs extra care compared to the past?

Indraganti:
There’s nothing too risky in this movie. Still, I was careful. My intention is not to spark unnecessary controversy. Belief is personal—but don’t hold beliefs that wreck others’ lives. That’s the core idea, which we’ve expressed comedically. And even then, if someone takes offense, we can’t help it.

I’m not saying all astrology is superstition or that all believers are fools. Some predictions made to me did come true. That’s why in this film, astrologers are not portrayed as comedians but are shown seriously.


Does the hero practice astrology or believe in it?

Indraganti:
The hero believes in astrology. Astrology is a strange cult science—open a panchangam (astrological almanac), and you’ll find countless details. You can’t just dismiss it as bogus. My intention is not to mock or preach. Believe if you want, or don’t. But know that blindly following it can bring misfortune—that’s the message.

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The teaser suggests an astrology theme, but the trailer hints at suspense. What do you say?

Indraganti:
This film can be called a “crime comedy”—a family-friendly crime comedy. There’s no violence, but there is a criminal element. The comedy arises from how an ordinary middle-class man working at a car shop deals with this situation. You could call it an “astrological crime comedy” (laughs).

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You started your directorial journey with Grahanam in 2004. What differences do you see in these 20 years?

Indraganti:
The biggest change is the attention span. Now, there’s a screen between the screen and the viewer—phones. During a hero’s intro scene, 50 phones go up in the air. Earlier, when the lights went off, we were immersed in the film. Now, there’s a parallel world. The biggest challenge for filmmakers is keeping the phone in the audience’s pocket.

That doesn’t mean fast-cutting will help. It’s about engaging content. Films like Premam and Prema Desam weren’t fast-paced, but they did well because of emotional connection. People used to watch films for entertainment. Now they want emotional experiences. Otherwise, they’ll just watch Malayalam films at home on OTT.

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At the beginning of your career, everyone hailed you as a promising director. But now, why does it feel like you’re struggling?

Indraganti:
Adjusting to changing sensibilities takes effort. When generations and mindsets change, it takes time to adapt. After COVID, I went through a lot of confusion. V released directly on OTT. Regardless of whether it was a hit or not, the producer made money. But Aa Ammayi Gurinchi Meeku Cheppali became a mess and got delayed.

That’s when I reflected—my strength is the audience. The genre I enjoy and can entertain people with is comedy. There has been humor in my past films too. But this time, I wanted to make a comedy that appeals to both older and younger generations. Not every time will be a win—non-stop success is a myth. Still, we must keep trying.

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This is your third film with Sridevi Movies and Sivalenka Krishna Prasad. What kind of support did you receive?

We’ve delivered two successful films in this combination before. We understand each other well as director and producer. For this film, he gave me full support. I have no dissatisfaction after making this movie—I made it exactly how I envisioned. That’s due to his passion for cinema.

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Why should people watch Sarangapani Jatakam?

Recently, films are full of violence and action. There hasn’t been a wholesome comedy film in a while. Sarangapani Jatakam is a happy, delightful film that all age groups and families can enjoy together. Along with fun, it offers a great theatrical experience.

Writing a song for Ilaiyaraaja sir’s music is one of the greatest opportunities I’ve ever had – Keeravani at the “Shashtipoorthi” teaser launch!

‘Shashtipoorthi’ is an upcoming film under the banner of Maa Aayi Productions, produced by Rupesh Choudhary and directed by Pavan Prabha. The film features Rupesh and Akanksha Singh in the lead roles, along with veteran actors Rajendra Prasad and Archana (the iconic couple from Ladies Tailor) in key roles. One of the major highlights of this film is that the legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja has composed its music. Preparations are underway to release the movie soon.

The teaser launch event for Shashtipoorthi took place on Saturday at RK Cine Max in Hyderabad. Music director M.M. Keeravani, who penned the lyrics for the song “Yedo Yedeedo…” from the film, attended the event alongside maestro Ilaiyaraaja. The teaser was officially launched by Ilaiyaraaja himself.

Director Pavan Prabha, DOP Ram, production designer Thota Tharani, editor Karthik Srinivas, lyricist Chaitanya Prasad, actors Rupesh, Akanksha Singh, Keeravani, Rajendra Prasad, and Ilaiyaraaja were among those who graced the occasion.

Cinematographer Ram said, “It’s a great privilege to work with such legends.”

Lyricist Chaitanya Prasad shared, “This film is very special to me. I’ve written many songs for Keeravani sir, but I always had a dream to write at least one song for Ilaiyaraaja sir. Shashtipoorthi gave me the opportunity to write three songs. Director Pavan Prabha and producer Rupesh worked incredibly hard. The song that Keeravani sir wrote came out like magic — he wrote it within 20 minutes! I sincerely wish for this film’s success.”

Director Pavan Prabha said, “It’s truly a blessing that such great personalities are working on my film. I feel lucky.”

Lead actress Akanksha Singh added, “This movie has been a wonderful experience. Sharing the stage with such legends and having them work on this film is a dream come true. This movie, filled with all nine rasas (emotions), will be a matter of pride for us.”

Production designer Thota Tharani said, “The entire unit worked really hard. I enjoyed working on this project and I believe the film will be a big success.”

Actor-producer Rupesh remarked, “Working with such legendary figures is a huge fortune. My sincere thanks to everyone.”

Keeravani reflected, “I wrote the lines for a song in this movie that goes —
‘Yedo ye janmalodo ee parichayam… Needo, neevalla nado ee paravasam. Ragam needai, pallavi nadai, charanam charanam kalisina vela… payanaalu ye Himalayalako…’
Usually, we write songs based on the situations the director provides, tailored to the characters and story. But this song not only suited the film, it also connected to my own life. I’ve always been an ardent fan of K.V. Mahadevan sir. During my college days, I heard a violin piece from the film Yugandhar, which turned me into a devoted fan of Ilaiyaraaja sir. When I later visited Madras, I would look at his house in awe.

There’s a song called “Keeravani” from the film Anveshana. Vijayendra Prasad once asked me to try composing something like that, and I doubted if I could ever reach that level. Later, through Chakravarthy sir, I had the fortune of being introduced to Veturi sir, who in turn helped me meet Ilaiyaraaja sir.
Eventually, I was invited as a guest to the Anumanaspadam audio function, and over time, I had several chances to interact with him. For the first two years of my career, I was deeply influenced by Ilaiyaraaja sir’s music. I always wanted to sing to his music — though that never happened, now I had the rare chance to write a song for it. I even got to sit beside him. This song isn’t just another film song for me — it reflects my long-standing connection with him. I thank Rupesh and Pavan for giving me this opportunity, and special thanks to Chaitanya Prasad for being the bridge between us.”

Veteran actor Rajendra Prasad shared, “I used to call Ilaiyaraaja sir Swami. His music turned many into heroes. My first film with his music was Preminchu Pelladu. After that film, I was so depressed that I considered ending my life. But Ladies Tailor revived me. If that film hadn’t worked, I don’t know where I’d be today. That movie became a hit solely because of Ilaiyaraaja’s music. When he saw the double positive result of Ladies Tailor, he said, ‘Only if Rajendra Prasad acts, I will do the re-recording.’ I was injured during the shoot but still went to meet him. He saw me and called me ‘Raa’ and said, ‘You acted very well. Let’s see who wins — your acting or my background score.’ He made me sit in the theater and did the re-recording.
It brings me great joy that my Swami is composing music for my film once again. And if Keeravani sir has written a song for this film, that alone speaks volumes. I’ve shared a great bond with Keeravani sir too. His 100th film was my Rambantu. I may not have celebrated a Shashtipoorthi in real life, but I’m experiencing it in my acting career. I’ve played a wonderful role in this film. The film feels like a painting, thanks to Padma Shri Thota Tharani and cinematographer Ram. This film has all the values Telugu cinema needs.”
Rajendra Prasad bowed at Ilaiyaraaja’s feet during the event.

Ilaiyaraaja concluded, “Rajendra Prasad asked, ‘Are you still doing music at this age?’ — Shouldn’t I? Is it wrong to still compose at this age? There used to be a group — this fellow (referring to Rajendra Prasad), Vamsy, and others — who used to hang out in front of my composing room, creating a ruckus.
I didn’t come here to speak much. There’s nothing more to say. You’ve heard the music I’ve done for this film, you’re going to hear more, and you’ll keep hearing it — that’s my confidence.
When I heard the lines Keeravani wrote, I understood the deep emotional bond he holds for me. His admiration has never wavered — not before he became a composer, nor after.
May God bless this film and everyone who worked on it. I hope they attain lasting fame.
If someone asks me which of my thousands of songs I like the most… I say, ‘One? Two?’ It’s not important how much music I know. What matters is how music knows me. I don’t know how music flows out of me. The moment I figure that out, I’ll stop making music. I pray to God that I never find out.
I rarely attend audio functions, but I came for Shashtipoorthi because it’s a film by newcomers making their debut. I came here to encourage them.”
Several attendees at the event expressed their heartfelt desire to see Ilaiyaraaja honored with the Bharat Ratna.

A Socially Conscious
Clean Entertainer!!

Uma (played by Sumaya Reddy), an aspiring doctor, moves from a rural village to the city to pursue her dreams. She joins Ayush Medical College. On the other hand, Dev (Prithvi Amber) dreams of becoming a rock star but spirals into alcoholism after a failed romance, losing focus in life. Disappointed, his father throws him out of the house. While struggling to find his footing, Dev injures his heart while trying to save a girl. He’s admitted to the same hospital where Uma is doing her medical training.

At Ayush Hospital, Uma and Dev cross paths. Dev’s brother Surya (Kamal Kamaraju), who works as an administrator there and later shifts to an art gallery, also plays a key role. As Dev spends time with Uma, a bond develops, and he uncovers a truth about her. What truth does Dev learn? What happened to Uma? What does Dev do for her? The answers lie in the rest of the story.

Sumaya Reddy fits well into the role of Uma. She not only delivers a compelling performance as the lead but also impresses as a writer and producer. Her story evokes emotion and raises awareness, successfully blending message with entertainment. Her portrayal and screen presence are both noteworthy. Prithvi Amber performs well, especially in emotional and intense scenes. Kamal Kamaraju’s acting is solid, while Ajay Ghosh makes a notable impression. The supporting cast—Faimah, Lobo, Saptagiri, and Bhadram—deliver decent performances.

After watching “Dear Uma,” viewers are left reflecting on the medical profession and the injustices it sometimes entails. Sai Rajesh has handled the subject with care, making it relevant to current times. Radhan’s music and Raj Thota’s cinematography add depth to the film. The screenplay keeps the audience engaged throughout, with impactful interval and climax scenes. The final song powerfully conveys the film’s core message. As her debut production under the Suma Chitra Arts banner, Sumaya Reddy’s venture can be deemed a success.

Teluguplex Rating: 3/5

Song Title: Jinguchaa (Tamil)
Album: Thug Life (Tamil)
Song Composed and Arranged by A.R.Rahman
Lyrics: Kamal Haasan
Singers: Vaishali Samant, Shakthisree Gopalan & Adithya RK

What if she’s nearing fifty… Priyanka Chopra is shining as the number one heroine. Her extraordinary international recognition is the reason for this. Along with the Mahesh Babu – Rajamouli film, another film she is acting in is “Krrish-4”.

The information is that she is receiving a remuneration of 30 crores for each of these two films. With “Krrish-4”, Hrithik Roshan is turning into a director. He is also the hero