Harshith Reddy, who made his debut with Subham produced by Samantha Ruth Prabhu, is now playing the lead in the upcoming film Deewana. The film marks the directorial debut of Srikanth Sangishetty, while Smeha Manimegalai makes her Telugu debut as the female lead. It is produced by Vasudev Koppineni and Sridevi Kraympudi under Arha Media and V Studios.
On Tuesday, the song 'Idi Prema' from the film was released on social media by Samantha. Later, a song launch event was held in Hyderabad, attended by directors Venky Atluri, Ravikiran Kola, and Nandini Reddy as special guests. The track has a melodius composition and meaningful lyrics, which drew praise for music director Eswar Chand.
Speaking at the event, Eswar Chand said, “I studied at AR Rahman sir’s music school, and this is my first film. The producers gave me complete freedom and supported me throughout. Our director encouraged me not only to compose but also to write lyrics. He even involved the actors in writing dialogues. He believes cinema is a collective effort. Deewana will impress everyone as a feel-good love story.”
Director Srikanth Sangishetty shared that the story had been with him for a long time. “It takes courage to bring such a story to the screen. After watching the film, audiences may wonder how this idea was developed into a full-fledged screenplay. Our producers believed in it and supported us. Our mentor Allu Aravind also appreciated the story,” he said.
He added that Deewana aims to leave a lasting impression like classic love stories. “Films like Vasantha Kokila, Tholi Prema, and 7G Brindavan Colony are remembered even today. We hope today’s youth will remember Deewana in a similar way. It’s a heartfelt story about a middle-class boy named Munna and his emotional journey. The climax will be deeply moving,” he said.
Smeha Manimegalai expressed her excitement about her Telugu debut. “I am from Tamil Nadu, and this is my first Telugu film. I play a character named Ammu. It’s a beautiful love story that will touch hearts. Being here feels like a dream come true,” she said.
Harshith Reddy spoke about his belief in the film. “In life, one success can change everything — how people see you and how your journey unfolds. I believe Deewana will be that turning point for me. The excitement I felt when I first heard the story is still the same,” he said.
Calling himself a fan of Shah Rukh Khan, Harshith added, “When I came to know that his first film was also titled Deewana, I felt this project would be special for me.” He revealed that the team worked on the film for nearly two years. “We even shot a large portion without a heroine, believing the right person would come on board. Everything eventually fell into place,” he said.
Drawing parallels with iconic performances, he added, “Just like Sadma for Kamal Haasan, Geethanjali for Nagarjuna, Tholi Prema for Pawan Kalyan, and Arjun Reddy for Vijay Deverakonda, I believe Deewana will bring me recognition.”
