The much-awaited collaboration between Nandamuri Balakrishna and director Koratala Siva has generated huge curiosity ever since the project was announced. Produced jointly by Sudhakar Cherukuri and Sudhakar Mikkilineni under the banners of SLV Cinemas and Yuvasudha Arts, the film was officially launched with a grand event in Amaravati.
This marks the first time a big film has been launched in Amaravati after the bifurcation of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The launch ceremony was attended by Andhra Pradesh Ministers Nara Lokesh and Kandula Durgesh as chief guests. Several prominent personalities from the Telugu film industry, including Suresh Babu, Gopichand Malineni, Venkata Satish Kilaru, and Sahu Garapati, also graced the occasion and handed over the script to the makers.
Kandula Durgesh switched on the camera, while Nara Lokesh sounded the clapboard. Balakrishna’s daughter, Nandamuri Tejaswini, directed the ceremonial first shot.
Nara Lokesh, son-in-law of Balakrishna and IT Minister of Andhra Pradesh, expressed his gratitude to his father-in-law for inviting him to the launch event. “Under the leadership of our Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, we are working with a vision to strongly promote the film industry in Amaravati, the People’s Capital,” said Nara Lokesh.
He added that along with cinema, the government is also focusing on encouraging the creator economy. “To achieve this, the government is committed to developing world-class infrastructure, advanced film studios, and facilities equipped with the latest technology to create a sustainable ecosystem for the industry,” he said.
Lokesh further thanked the producers and director for choosing Amaravati as the venue for the launch. “We consider it our privilege that this launch event is taking place here. This is not just about one film; Amaravati is a sacred land, and I sincerely hope many more films will begin their journeys from here in the future,” he added.
Director Koratala Siva thanked the ministers for attending the launch event. He recalled his association with Balakrishna from his early days as an assistant writer and director. “Before becoming a writer and director, I had the opportunity to work on films starring Balakrishna. I have always been a huge admirer of him. Getting the opportunity to write and direct a film for Balakrishna is a great blessing. As a fan myself, I understand the excitement around this collaboration. I am confident that this film will be a memorable experience for Balakrishna fans and movie lovers everywhere,” said Koratala Siva.
Lead actor Nandamuri Balakrishna said he feels fortunate to have earned the love and affection of millions of fans. He thanked the ministers for attending the launch and appreciated his daughter Tejaswini for directing the inaugural shot.
“Tejaswini has earlier worked on the creative side of my show Unstoppable, and I thank her for being part of this special occasion. It has been nearly two decades since a major film launch of this scale took place in Andhra Pradesh. This is my first collaboration with both the director and producers, making it even more special,” said Balakrishna.
Balakrishna stressed that with the support of the Andhra Pradesh government, the film industry is committed to contributing to the growth of cinema in the state. “Vijayawada has the potential to emerge as a major hub for the industry. For Akhanda, we shot extensively in several beautiful locations across the state. Along with the growth of cinema, we are also looking at developing amusement parks and tourism infrastructure. This is the land where legends like NTR and ANR were born,” he said.
The actor said that after the bifurcation of the state, they believed the film industry should also expand in Andhra Pradesh. “In the coming days, we will hold discussions with all stakeholders to explore the best ways to support and strengthen the industry. Andhra Pradesh has excellent filming locations, and suitable incentives should be provided to encourage more productions. We are committed to developing the required infrastructure and facilities,” he added.
Balakrishna further revealed that he is currently shooting his other film with Gopichand Malineni at Kakinada Port. “A major schedule of this film with Koratala Siva will also be shot in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.