All posts tagged: Daggubati

Dhurandhar 2 dethrones Baahubali 2 as highest-grossing Indian film in North America, Rana Daggubati says ‘decade later, but still very good’ | Bollywood News

Dhurandhar 2 dethrones Baahubali 2 as highest-grossing Indian film in North America, Rana Daggubati says ‘decade later, but still very good’ | Bollywood News

4 min readMumbaiApr 4, 2026 10:23 AM IST As expected, Dhurandhar 2 has shattered several box office records, and continues to push boundaries with its performance. The film has now emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film in North America, collecting $22 million within two weeks. In doing so, it has surpassed the nine-year-old record held by SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, which had earned $20.8 million. ‘It’s a decade later but still very good’: Rana Daggubati Reacting to this milestone, Rana Daggubati, who played the central antagonist in the two-part Baahubali saga, said he was pleased with the film’s achievement. Speaking to Variety India, he said, “It’s good. It’s a decade later, but it’s still very good. I think we’re all still touching the tip of the iceberg.” He added that Indian films are increasingly connecting with global audiences because of their emotional depth. “There’s been all kinds of cinema that’s going to see a little beauty. I’ll talk about this Malayalam film about nurses who are working in Bombay. Now it’s a story …

Rana Daggubati reacts to Vetrimaaran’s veiled dig at Dhurandhar, says, ‘No victors in wars, everybody loses’ | Telugu News

Rana Daggubati reacts to Vetrimaaran’s veiled dig at Dhurandhar, says, ‘No victors in wars, everybody loses’ | Telugu News

4 min readKochiApr 3, 2026 12:59 PM IST With the release of director Aditya Dhar’s Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar, the topic of propaganda films has once again come under the spotlight, reigniting debates. While Dhurandhar (2025) and its sequel, Dhurandhar The Revenge (2026), received rave reviews from various quarters, they also drew intense criticism for purportedly whitewashing some of the central government’s policies and actions, including the 2016 demonetisation, which caused significant upheaval across the country. Among those who took a dig at Dhurandhar, albeit indirectly, was Tamil filmmaker Vetrimaaran. At the recent trailer launch of Neelira, helmed by Someetharan, Vetrimaaran stated without naming Dhurandhar, “This film (Neelira) doesn’t talk about hate or advocate violence. It is not a propaganda film. It is not made to promote an ideology with crores of rupees. It does not aim to monetise hatred or violence to earn Rs 100 crore. On that basis, this is a film that does not caricature any race, community, or religious sect. It presents events without directly criticising anyone. Our writer has done an …

Rana Daggubati admits most scenes in Baahubali took physical, mental toll on him: ‘It was pushing everyone’s boundaries’

Rana Daggubati admits most scenes in Baahubali took physical, mental toll on him: ‘It was pushing everyone’s boundaries’

Filmmaker SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali redefined the scale of Indian cinema when it was released, setting a new benchmark for storytelling, action and visual spectacle. The franchise not only shattered box office records but also emerged as one of the most celebrated Indian film sagas of all time. Now, actor Rana Daggubati has opened up about the immense physical and mental toll the film took on him during its making. Rana Daggubati’s still from SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali. Rana Daggubati talks about Baahubali taking a mental and physical toll on him In an interview with Pinkvilla, Rana was asked to name one particular scene from Baahubali that had taken the greatest physical and mental toll on him. In response, the actor admitted that it was difficult to single out just one moment, given how demanding the entire process was. He said, “We shot that for like six years or something. So most of those were like that. It’s not about one scene because, at that point, we were discovering how to make that film as well. It …

EXCLUSIVE: Rana Daggubati reveals whether Baahubali took physical & mental toll, ‘most scenes were like that’

EXCLUSIVE: Rana Daggubati reveals whether Baahubali took physical & mental toll, ‘most scenes were like that’

Rana Daggubati has joined hands with filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj for the upcoming Tamil film, Neelira (A Long Night). Touted to release on April 3, the film blends war drama with human emotions. Ahead of its release, Karthik and Rana sat down for an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, discussing the importance of such cinema. The latter also talked about the challenges he faced during the filming of Baahubali while portraying the role of Bhallaladeva. When asked about which Baahubali scene took a mental and physical toll on him, Rana Daggubati told Pinkvilla, “We’ve shot that for like six years or something. So most of those were like that. It’s not about one scene because at that point, we were discovering how to make that film also. No, it was not like we had so many war films that were made. It was not like car action choreographers or visual effects were up to that mark. It was pushing everyone’s boundaries. It needed a master like Rajamouli and a team that came together for that vision. Usually, …

EXCLUSIVE: Rana Daggubati reveals why Neelira releases on original date while Mohanlal’s Drishyam 3 is postponed

EXCLUSIVE: Rana Daggubati reveals why Neelira releases on original date while Mohanlal’s Drishyam 3 is postponed

Rana Daggubati and director Karthik Subbaraj are collaborating as producers for the upcoming anti-war film Neelira. As several films, including Drishyam 3, have reportedly postponed their releases due to tense situations in Gulf countries, the producers have candidly opened up about why they are choosing to release the movie on its originally announced date. Rana Daggubati opens up on Neelira sticking to original release date Speaking with Pinkvilla, Rana Daggubati said, “First in Tamil cinema, this will become a very mainstream film. If we just take glimpses from the trailer launch, half the Tamil industry, in terms of directors, were there, who had such passion while talking about this. I have been to various film events, and I even said to Karthik (Subbaraj) that I have never seen anything like this before.” The actor-producer added, “Usually, it is very generic. You call some people, they say some nice things about the director, speak well about Karthik, and say, ‘good, you guys are doing it,’ and that’s it. But this time, everyone had a point of …

EXCLUSIVE: Rana Daggubati reveals what success means to him, Karthik Subbaraj says THIS about Rajinikanth

EXCLUSIVE: Rana Daggubati reveals what success means to him, Karthik Subbaraj says THIS about Rajinikanth

Rana Daggubati and Karthik Subbaraj recently teamed up for their new film, Neelira. The duo joined Pinkvilla for an exclusive conversation. While talking about their movie, the duo also shared words for the OG superstar, Rajinikanth. Rana also shared what success means to him. Check it out! Rana Daggubati and Karthik Subbaraj speak about Rajinikanth Film director and producer Karthik Subbaraj joined forces with actor Rana Daggubati to tell an emotional tale showcasing the aftermath and the impact of war on a child in Neelira. Recently, the duo joined Pinkvilla for an exclusive conversation. During the interview, they spoke about their film and the inspiration behind telling the compelling story. Since Rana has been part of many hit films, he has seen success in real life. When asked what success means to them, the Baahubali: The Epic star expressed, “If the long night is discussed for many long nights by lots of audience, that would be success for us.” Through the course of their chat, they were asked to give one word for legendary actor …

Venkatesh Daggubati and director Anil Ravipudi reunite for 5th movie together; Nandamuri Kalyan Ram joins

Venkatesh Daggubati and director Anil Ravipudi reunite for 5th movie together; Nandamuri Kalyan Ram joins

Venkatesh Daggubati and director Anil Ravipudi have worked together on four films over the years, with their collaborations resulting in box office success. Now, the duo is officially reuniting once again for a new project, with Nandamuri Kalyan Ram joining the film as a co-lead. Venkatesh Daggubati and Anil Ravipudi reunite for 5th film together Taking to their social media handle, the production company Shine Screens officially confirmed the new project. The upcoming film is tentatively titled VenkyAnil5 and/or NKRAR2. Sharing the update, the team penned, “Wishing everyone a blessed Sri Rama Navami. Marking this auspicious occasion, we are extremely proud to announce our third collaboration with our blockbuster hit machine, director Anil Ravipudi garu. Let’s score a hat-trick at the box office, sir.” Here’s the post: Previously, Venkatesh Daggubati starred in the lead role in Sankranthiki Vasthunam. The action-comedy, directed by Ravipudi, follows the story of YD Raju, a former IPS officer who now leads a quiet life in a village with his wife. However, when a high-profile kidnapping case arises, his ex-girlfriend, who …

Rana Daggubati credits Telugu audience for pushing filmmakers to make ‘bigger and better cinema’ like Baahubali, Kalki

Rana Daggubati credits Telugu audience for pushing filmmakers to make ‘bigger and better cinema’ like Baahubali, Kalki

Not many know that before he was Bhallaladeva or any other character on screen, Rana Daggubati worked as a VFX artist. Having been involved with the development of VFX in Indian cinema in the 2000s, Rana was perhaps the perfect person to be present for the launch of Netflix’s Eyeline Studios in the country. On Thursday, the studio behind the VFX for titles like Stranger Things and Wednesday launched its first state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad, and Rana was among the guests. Rana Daggubati starred as Bhallaladeva in the Baahubali films. Rana Daggubati thanks audiences for pushing filmmakers Speaking from the stage, the actor-producer spoke about why Hyderabad, his hometown, was the perfect place for this new start. “Today, people speak about Hyderabad as the next centre for innovation. I need to first thank the audiences who kept pushing the filmmakers for bigger and better cinema. The filmmakers from Hyderabad constantly kept pushing boundaries. Whether it is Baahubali of Kalki 2898 AD or RRR contain majority of technicians from this place,” he said. Baahubali, directed by …

Rana Daggubati, Nani, Ram Charan, Nagarjuna and others descend at Allu Sirish’s pre-wedding reception at Allu Studios | Telugu News

Rana Daggubati, Nani, Ram Charan, Nagarjuna and others descend at Allu Sirish’s pre-wedding reception at Allu Studios | Telugu News

3 min readHyderabadMar 2, 2026 11:14 PM IST Actor Allu Sirish and Nayanika Reddy hosted a grand pre-wedding reception for the Telugu film industry at Allu Studios, Gandipet-Kokapet on March 2. The evening brought together some of the biggest names in Telugu and South Indian cinema under one roof, all gathered to celebrate Sirish and Reddy ahead of their wedding this Friday. The who’s who of Tollywood made their way to the studios through the evening. Actors Balakrishna, Nagarjuna, Mohan Babu, and Rajendra Prasad were among the senior industry figures who turned up. Nagarjuna came with wife Amala and son Naga Chaitanya. Rana Daggubati, one of Telugu cinema’s most recognizable faces in the pan-India space, was also present at the celebration. Ram Charan, who had also attended the Pelli Koduku ceremony a day earlier, was present at the reception as well. Ram Charan at Allu Sirish and Nayanika Reddy’s pre-wedding reception. The directors’ table had no shortage of talent. Atlee, Boyapati Srinu, Sukumar, VV Vinayak, Srinu Vaitla, Maruthi, Meher Ramesh, Anil Ravipudi, and Malayalam actor-director …

16 years of Leader: When Rana Daggubati chose an unfiltered political drama over a ‘mass’ launch | Telugu News

16 years of Leader: When Rana Daggubati chose an unfiltered political drama over a ‘mass’ launch | Telugu News

4 min readHyderabadUpdated: Feb 20, 2026 06:55 PM IST Rana Daggubati made his acting debut as a chief minister determined to fix a broken system. That was the idea at the heart of Sekhar Kammula’s 2010 political drama Leader, and it is what separated it from almost every other Telugu film that had attempted the same subject before. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO The movie was an unlikely combination from the start. Sekhar Kammula had built his reputation on intimate, character-driven dramas: Anand, Happy Days, Godavari. A political film was a departure. AVM Productions, a Chennai-based banner more associated with Tamil productions, backed Leader. And the lead role went to Rana Daggubati, the grandson of prominent Telugu producer D. Rama Naidu, in his acting debut. None of it was an obvious fit. It worked regardless. Kammula wrote the script himself. The story follows Arjun Prasad, the US-based son of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Sanjeevayya, who is assassinated in the initial minutes of the film. Arjun returns, reads his late father’s diary, and realises that the political …