Rajendra Prasad: Shashtipoorthi feels like a story from every Telugu home

In Shashtipoorthi, a family drama woven around generational bond and tradition, Rajendra Prasad returns to the kind of role that has defined his legacy. Directed by Pavan Prabha and produced by debutant actor-producer Rupeysh under Maa Aaie Productions banner, the film stars Archana, Aakanksha Singh, and Rupeysh himself, and is set for release on May 30. Ahead of the film’s release, the senior actor spoke about the film, its importance and his experience in cinema.

The actor declared, “I place my hand on my heart and say this, Shashtipoorthi will be a great film. It’s given me deep satisfaction, not just as an actor but as someone who believes in stories that speak to our culture.”

Reflecting on his career, Rajendra Prasad expressed gratitude to the audience and the media for their support over 48 years. He stated, “I’ve always received roles that suited my age and craft. That is my fortune. I’m blessed to still be doing films that matter.”

Talking about reuniting with senior actor Archana, both of whom acted in the classic comedy, Ladies Tailor (1986), he remarked, "After so many years, we’re back together for Shashtipoorthi. I don’t know why such a long gap happened or why we couldn’t work together earlier. She moved into different genres like Daasi and Nireekshana. I continued in my comedy space. I’ve never demanded a particular actress for my films; that’s not in my nature. Working with her again after so many years feels like destiny. I hadn’t even met her during this gap.”

He also spoke candidly about how filmmaking has changed since he once dabbled in production himself. He noted, “We didn’t have the kind of technology you see now, but we also weren’t this distracted. Even today, I never look at the monitor after a shot. It’s the director’s job to say, ‘one more’. We should stick to our responsibilities. Technology should serve quality, not replace it.”

Further, he praised Shashtipoorthi’s script and said, “This story feels like it came from every household. It reflects the Telugu people and their emotional lives. The trailer itself captures that spirit.”

On the film’s production team, he further commended the commitment shown by all. “Rupeysh is a cousin of RB Choudary. He’s put everything into this. We planned to do our first event in Amaravati but had to shift to Vijayawada due to logistics. Still, the intent and energy never dropped,” he said.

On working with the iconic Ilaiyaraaja, he elaborated, “He didn’t just compose music. He challenged himself and gave his best. When Keeravani gaaru wrote a song for us, even Raja gaaru was surprised. Chaitanya Prasad gaaru’s lyrics were beautiful. The songs and score will stay with people.”

The veteran actor also added his two cents on the ongoing theatre shutdown controversy, and commented, “These are not decisions one person can take. It has to be collective. Unfortunately, the way it was communicated caused confusion. That’s why Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan ordered an inquiry.”

Rajendra Prasad finally revealed that he has no plans of slowing down. “Art is an ocean. You can’t drink all of it, nor swim across it. It’s endless. I’m still hungry for more. This film has three versions of my character. The director wanted my look and tone from Ladies Tailor, and because of my mindset, I could pull it off. It was a challenge, and I embraced it,” he said.

Following this, Rajendra Prasad mentioned his international western-comedy Quick Gun Murugan (2009) and revealed that two sequels are in the works for that film, incorporating AI for a few scenes. He concluded by saying. “Shashtipoorthi is a film about connection. It’ll make you laugh and cry. After watching it, every viewer will want to go home and hug their parents.”