Santhana Prapthirasthu, starring Chandini Chowdary and Vikranth is all set to release on November 14. With Madhura Sreedhar Reddy and Nirvi Hariprasad Reddy backing the film, the upcoming film is helmed by Sanjeev Reddy.
Sanjeev reveals that he worked as a chief manager in a finance company before entering films. “Later, I joined director Krishna Vamsi as an Assistant Director for Mahatma. I’ve always been passionate about filmmaking. My independent Hindi film, Login, received good recognition, and it was later remade in Telugu as Ladies and Gentlemen,” he says. The director also made ABCD, starring Allu Sirish, and a web series titled Aha Naa Pellanta, with Raj Tarun. “I’ve directed several advertisements, including the Telangana government’s anti-drug campaign featuring Chiranjeevi,” reveals Sanjeev.
Talking about Santhana Prapthrasthu, Sanjeev revolves that the film revolves around the problems faced by people due to fertility issues. He says, “These issues are a reality in our society, but no Telugu film has ever addressed male infertility. Some of my friends and family members have gone through such challenges. Though medical science has advanced, they still faced social stigma and emotional distress from their family and the society. After observing these experiences, I decided to make Santhana Prapthirasthu around this concept."
The director further reveals that when he narrated the story to Vikranth, he connected with it immediately. “He had also heard of such real-life issues so he understood the importance of the concept,” says the director. Sanjeev along with writer Kalyan Raghav designed the script to be family-friendly, something that audiences could comfortably watch with their families. “If we over-dramatise the problem, it loses authenticity, so we chose to present male infertility with a touch of humor,” he says, before pointing out how Bollywood has made a few films on the subject, and felt it was time Telugu cinema addressed this issue too. “It’s not a taboo subject - it’s a social reality,” says Sanjeev.
Sanjeev believes that if the content is strong, the audience will definitely encourage it, as evidenced by the success of small-budget films like Court and Little Hearts. The director adds, “With the rise of OTT, people are more open to good stories. Big stars could have done this film, but I wanted the movie’s success to depend on its storytelling, not star power."
Sanjeev says Santhana Prapthrasthu is a blend of romance, family emotions, and entertaining elements, while addressing a sensitive subject. “Couples facing infertility or general family audiences can watch it comfortably. We treated the topic with dignity and respect. We never made fun of the issue; instead, we created humor through the situations the characters face while dealing with it,” he says.
Talking about bringing Chandini Chowdary on board, the director says that they were particular about wanting a Telugu actress for this story. “She had no hesitation in portraying a married woman and saw it as her responsibility as an actor to tell such a story,” reveals Sanjeev.
He has already screened the film for a closed circle and for industry insiders. “Everyone who has watched the film so far has appreciated it, and we hope the same response from the audience after the release,” says the director. The director hopes that the film will encourage open conversations. “We hope Santhana Prapthirasthu becomes the first step toward that change,” he signs off.
