Paradha, starring Anupama Parameswaran, Sangeetha, Darshana Rajendran and Rag Mayur in lead roles, with a special appearance by Gautham Vasudev Menon, was released on August 22, 2025. Produced by Vijay Donkada, Srinivasulu PV and Sridhar Makkuva under their Ananda Media banner, the film did not achieve the expected commercial success in Telugu or Malayalam. However, its Hindi-dubbed version has now crossed 54 million views on YouTube, and is trending on JioHotstar, much to the makers' surprise and delight.

"When we released the film in Telugu, it received very good appreciation and also turned out to be an average success commercially. We are happy that Hindi audiences are now watching our film in such large numbers," says Vijay, adding, "The good thing is that we made a good film, and whenever it receives appreciation from any part of the country, we feel very happy." When asked whether the film's non-commercial subject and treatment affected its prospects in Telugu, Vijay reveals, "We had a huge star cast and planned the film with certain budget expectations. We shot the film in Delhi, Dharamshala, Manali, Hyderabad and several other locations because we wanted to make it authentic. Naturally, the budget went up."

The producer also shared that Anupama faced health issues during the shoot, forcing the team to take a break for a few months. "We went to Manali with a crew of around 110 members and shot for three days, but had to cancel the shoot. That resulted in a huge loss for us. After six months, we went to Dharamshala and completed the remaining portions. Though we invested a lot in the film, we have no regrets. We may not have achieved the commercial success we hoped for in Telugu, but the film received the appreciation we expected," says Vijay, who also released the film in Malayalam owing to the popularity of Anupama and Darshana. "While it wasn't commercially viable, we received a good response."

The makers later sold the Hindi dubbing rights to RKD Studios, which released the film on its YouTube channel. The Hindi version has now crossed 54 million views. "We wanted the film to reach a wider audience, so we sold the Hindi rights to RKD Studios. We are now hoping that it will cross 100 million views soon," says Vijay. When asked why he thought the film had connected so well with Hindi audiences, the filmmaker reveals, "The tradition of wearing a paradha exists in some parts of North India, including Rajasthan and other places. That's probably why the film would connect well with Hindi audiences."

Talking about his journey, Vijay, who has considerable experience as an executive producer before starting his own production, shares that director Adivi Sai Kiran introduced him to the film industry. "I worked with him on Villagelo Vinayakudu, where I eventually became an executive producer. In fact, Sai Kiran suggested that I should pursue production, and from then onwards, I started focusing more on it," says Vijay, adding, "Later, I worked with producer Sunitha Tati on several films, including Bangaru Kodi Petta, Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo, Saakini Daakini and Oh! Baby. Later, I worked with producer D Suresh Babu garu on Narappa. I have also collaborated with the filmmaker duo Raj and DK on D for Dopidi and Cinemabandi. It is because of the latter that I decided to back Paradha, directed by Praveen Kandregula, who made Cinemabandi."

Paradha is his second production, and his banner, Ananda Media, is coming up with Sudigali Sudheer's next, Joker, helmed by debutant director Sunil. "For this story, we wanted an actor who didn't have a huge image. At the same time, Sudheer was also looking for a good subject. When we approached him, he readily agreed," says Vijay, adding that the film is about a robbery. "There have been a few Telugu films with the title Joker, but our film is completely different. Since Sudheer is popular among television viewers and Telugu audiences, a few OTT platforms have also approached us. We are currently busy with post-production and are planning to release the film in February next year," says Vijay.

When asked about reports doing the rounds regarding Sudheer and his attitude towards films, Vijay categorically dismissed the speculation. "As far as I am concerned, Sudheer is gold. He has been very supportive throughout this journey. In fact, he told me that once Joker is completed, he wants to travel from Srikakulam to other places and meet his fans. He is a very nice person and has been extremely supportive," shares Vijay, who is also backing the yet-to-be-titled directorial debut of Chandra.

Vijay feels that securing a good OTT deal has become a major challenge for small films. "Big production houses and films starring big stars don't face this problem. Their OTT deals are often discussed as soon as the projects are announced. However, OTT platforms are more selective with small films because they have plenty of options. If a small film comes from a big production house, it is easier for them to secure an OTT deal because of the production house's reputation and existing relationships. For newcomers and upcoming filmmakers, OTT platforms prefer to watch the film first before making a decision," shares Vijay, asserting the importance of theatrical business for such films. "So, we have to come up with good content that attracts audiences to theatres. Only then can we move forward confidently with producing more films," signs off Vijay.