Praveen Kandregula is soaking in the calm before the storm. Over a mocha at a cafe in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, the director is at ease discussing his two Telugu films awaiting release — Paradha, a story of female friendships featuring Anupama Parameswaran, Darshana Rajendran and Sangitha Krish, and Subham, a comedy produced by Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
Born in Visakhapatnam and now based in Hyderabad, Praveen first stepped into the spotlight with his debut indie film Cinema Bandi, produced by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK. With Paradha and Subham headed for theatrical release, he’s eager to see how audiences respond — especially since Cinema Bandi had a direct digital release during the pandemic.
Both films have generated curiosity with their teasers. Following the acclaim for Cinema Bandi, Praveen was keen to ensure his next ventures were just as distinct. “Audiences want fresh narratives,” he says, adding, “A director’s second film is crucial — it defines the path they want to take.”
Paradha will release in both Telugu and Malayalam. “A modern young woman might relate to Darshana’s character, someone from a rural background may connect with Anupama, and a woman who’s weathered life’s ups and downs would likely resonate with Sangitha,” says Praveen. “There is a strong cultural context, and the three women are on a journey — think Kantarameets Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.”
Anupama Parameswaran in ‘Paradha’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Writing collaboration
The film is written by Poojitha Sreekanti and Prahaas Boppudi, with Krishna Pratyusha brought on as the script doctor. Praveen prefers collaborating with writers rather than handling both writing and direction himself. For Paradha, he was also open to suggestions from the three lead actors, keen to understand how women might respond to certain situations. “The script is the backbone of a film,” he says. Once it is written, he treats it as a blueprint, while still leaving space for improvisation on set.
Paradha was shot across various locations, including Dharamshala, Manali, and other parts of Himachal Pradesh. Praveen explains that the title — derived from ‘purdah’, or veil — serves as a metaphor for how freedom is often curtailed under the guise of love. “We see it all around us. In the name of love and concern, restrictions are imposed,” he says. “The story examines the idea of freedom, and how it gets entangled with superstition.”
Darshana Rajendran in ‘Paradha’
Though the film follows three female protagonists, Praveen is not fond of the term female-centric film. “We don’t call a film male-centric, so why make that distinction here?” he laughs. Still, he acknowledges the reality — that the industry often sees things differently, and writers and directors continue to struggle when it comes to getting stories with female leads backed by producers.
Walk the talk
Praveen likes his team to have both men and women, so facilitate an exchange of ideas. All his films — Cinema Bandi, Paradha and Subham — have had women directors of photography. Cinema Bandi was filmed by Apoorva Anil Shaligram and YVV Sagar, Paradha and Subham have been filmed by Mridul Sujit Sen.
Praveen says he was fortunate to have the backing of Vijay Donkada, who produced the film along with PV Sreenivasulu and Sridhar Makkuva. “It is an emotional drama that’s also entertaining,” he says. “I cannot recall a contemporary Telugu film that explores female friendships.” He adds that he is drawn to films like Queen, Highway, and Laapataa Ladies in Hindi cinema, which delve into similar themes.
He cast Anupama after watching the short film Freedom at Midnight, which, he notes, stood apart from her mainstream feature work. Darshana came on board after he saw her in the Malayalam hit Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey. “All the actors have dubbed their lines in Telugu,” he says. On set, sound engineers were tasked with capturing ambient audio, even though the dialogue was later recorded in a dubbing studio.
Praveen believes Paradha will stand out for its soundtrack, composed by Gopi Sunder.
Nostalgic comedy
Speaking about Subham, Praveen says the opportunity came along just as he was wrapping up Paradha. Vasanth Maringanti, co-writer of Cinema Bandi, had pitched the story to Samantha Ruth Prabhu. Set in Bheemunipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, in 2004, Subham is a satire. “It is a nostalgic comedy and will be among the craziest Telugu films to release this year,” says Praveen, referencing classics by the late Jandhyala and EVV Satyanarayana’s Jamba Lakidi Pamba. “Subham takes you back to the era of films with Rajendra Prasad, Jagapathi Babu, or Brahmanandam. Our story revolves around three couples.”
The first look poster of ‘Subham’
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Special Arrangement
He credits Samantha for championing a story that breaks the mould. “Subham is exactly the kind of unique film she wants to back through Tralala Moving Pictures. Once she was convinced by the script, she gave us complete creative freedom.”
The film stars Harshith Reddy (of Mail fame), Shalini Kondepudi, and a cast selected through extensive auditions.
Looking back at his journey, Praveen — an engineer-turned-filmmaker — says he chose cinema purely out of passion. “I love filmmaking, and I’m mindful not to let it turn into a stressful, monotonous job. That would defeat the whole point.”
Published – April 10, 2025 03:34 pm IST
