From his debut Pataas to his latest Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, all nine of Anil Ravipudi’s films have not just been successful but massive box-office hits. Despite this remarkable track record, he remains grounded — always smiling, approachable, and stress-free. His latest Chiranjeevi-starrer Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu crossed the ₹300-crore mark and emerged as an industry hit.
“I'm enjoying the success of back-to-back blockbusters,” says Anil Ravipudi. Earlier, he would first write a story and then cast actors. But for Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, his approach was different. “For this film, I consciously built the story around Chiranjeevi garu’s character. I wanted to present him from every angle. Luckily, it worked,” he says.
After watching the film, many audiences noticed that a few scenes reminded them of Chiranjeevi’s earlier films. Anil explains, “Even before the release, I wanted to take audiences on a time machine back to Chiranjeevi’s classic films. Whenever the situation allowed, I included such moments naturally — not forcefully. I love the Jwala character from Chiranjeevi's Chantabbayi, so I used that name for Catherine Tresa’s role. There’s also a scene where he breaks a wall, reminiscent of Gang Leader. This film is my expression of love for Chiranjeevi garu, and I was mentally prepared for it from the start of promotions.”
Was he confident about how audiences would receive it? “I was 50 per cent sure it would work. But after release, the response exceeded expectations. People are enjoying watching Chiranjeevi on the big screen, and I’m thankful to the audience,” he says.
Asked why many of his films release during Sankranthi, Anil clarifies that not all his films were festival releases. “Out of nine films, only four released during Sankranthi. But since they became big blockbusters, people associate me with the festival. My kind of family entertainment works especially well during Sankranthi, and family audiences come in large numbers, which reflects in higher revenues,” he explains.
His earlier film Sankranthiki Vasthunnam, starring Venkatesh, was an industry hit. Now, Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu has crossed ₹300 crore and achieved the same status. Interestingly, Anil continues to focus more on regional cinema rather than pan-India films.
“I understand the strength of regional cinema. Telugu cinema has huge revenue potential compared to many regions. I respect pan-India filmmakers, but personally, I prefer concentrating on regional films. That mindset has worked for me, and I’ll stick to it,” he says.
Will he attempt a pan-India film soon? “I want to do it, but not now. It’s too early. I want to make a few more films, expand my reach step by step, and not rush. I’m comfortable where I am now. When the right time comes, I’ll try,” he adds.
While many directors take two years to complete a film, Anil releases one almost every year. “I start with a strong storyline and then look for actors who are comfortable with my style. Once the lead cast is finalised, I develop the story further. Whoever is available, I work with them — it’s not about senior or young actors. My goal is to give success to producers and ensure distributors are happy with profits,” he says.
Having worked with senior stars like Ravi Teja, Balakrishna, Venkatesh, and Chiranjeevi and delivered blockbusters, what about younger actors? “I definitely want to work with them too. But I never aim to beat my previous film’s collections. Box office depends on the actor’s market. For me, success is what matters,” he explains.
Though known for entertainment, Anil also made a serious film like Bhagavanth Kesari. “I wanted to step out of my comfort zone. I can’t do serious films continuously, but Bhagavanth Kesari won a National Award, and I’m very happy. However, entertainment films usually earn more. In the future, I’d like to do a low-budget, message-oriented, thought-provoking film. It may come as a surprise,” he reveals.
On comedy being his trademark, Anil says, “In Sankranthiki Vasthunnam and Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, I shifted to situational comedy. Too many punch dialogues can bore audiences, so I changed the approach to suit the situation, which gives more natural fun.”
He cites Jandhyala, EVV Satyanarayana, and SV Krishna Reddy as his inspirations. “I grew up watching their films. I’ve watched EVV garu’s Appula Appa Rao countless times. Their work had a huge impact on me, and I adapt that style with a modern touch,” he says.
To stay updated with comedy, Anil observes people constantly. “Whether I’m at an airport, an event, or a family function, I observe people — how couples behave, how families interact. Even when people come for selfies, I observe them. That’s how comedy is born,” he explains.
Despite being called a ‘hit machine’ with nine out of nine hits, Anil remains calm and composed.
“I don’t take things too seriously and never feel stressed. I don’t let success go to my head. After a few days, I move on and focus on the next story. My team treats me like a normal writer and even argues with me,” he laughs.
Addressing criticism that some jokes resembled TV comedy skits, he says, “If you look at my last two or three films, you’ll see I’ve changed my style and explored a different form of entertainment.”
Anil is also known for promoting his films personally by travelling, meeting people, and using social media creatively. “There are many ways to promote a film. If you want a big opening, you must take the film to the people. I’m ready to go to any extent to connect with the audience,” he says.
Reflecting on his journey, Anil recalls struggling to get Pataas on floors. “After that, I never faced delays. I credit my continuous success mainly to the audience and just one per cent to myself and my writing team,” he says.
While comparisons with Rajamouli are inevitable, Anil avoids them. “He is in a completely different zone. I admire him greatly. I’ve just started my journey and have a long way to go.”
Meanwhile, Bhagavanth Kesari is being remade in Tamil as Jana Nayagan with Vijay, while Sankranthiki Vasthunnam is being remade in Hindi. Interestingly, Anil was offered the chance to direct Vijay but declined. “It’s Vijay’s last film, and I’m not fully confident in Tamil. If something went wrong, I wouldn’t want to be responsible,” he explains.
On Nayanthara joining Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, Anil says it was about mutual goodwill. “She liked my working style and the way I presented her character. After a long gap, she returned to Telugu cinema, and audiences loved that freshness.”
Speaking about his next project, Anil says, “I’ve cracked the idea and will develop it soon. The lead actor will be announced in a few days. The film will begin in June, depending on availability.”
Like Subhash Ghai, Anil also makes cameo appearances in his films. “It’s self-satisfaction. I want to connect with the audience directly, so I appear briefly,” he signs off.