Rana Daggubati opens up about nepotism in film industries, says 'ultimately you have to stand in front of camera, act'

Hindustan Times

07-06-2025

Actor Rana Daggubati, known for his roles in Baahubali and Rana Naidu, shared his thoughts about nepotism in the film industry, a point of debate abuzz in the entertainment domains for decades now. Hailing from a prestigious film family, Rana is the son of film producer D Suresh Babu and Lakshmi. He shares a close bond with his uncle-actor Venkatesh Daggubati and is also the cousin of Naga Chaitanya. (Also Read | Rana Daggubati slams paparazzi culture in Bollywood as he reacts to video of him getting angry at paps: 'It's annoying')
In an interview with ANI on Monday, Rana emphasised that having a film family background opens up more opportunities and provides a deeper understanding of the industry.
He said, "Any industry that your family is from, you understand it more than somebody who's not. How does it help an actor? Ultimately, you have to stand in front of the camera and act. There'll be a lot more opportunities for you. There will be an ecosystem that you understand. It's like if your family is from chemical industries or sugar factories, you'll understand how a sugar factory works and all the byproducts of sugar like that."
The actor's mother worked in a film laboratory and his father in a film studio. Rana admitted that her mother's and father's professions helped him become familiar with the basic functions of film studios and laboratories.
"My mother worked in a film laboratory, so I understood what a film laboratory looks like and how it functions. My father worked in a studio, so I understood its function, and my uncle was an actor," said Rana.
Ranamentioned that the "pressure" to continue his family's legacy motivated him to do something unique, including starting his own production house, Spirit Media, in 2005.
"Pressure, in that sense, it was self-inflicted in some manner. You want to do something that is unique, new, and stands out and should stand for a long period of time. Whether it was visual effects, whether it's acting, or producing," said Rana.
He is a vocal advocate for contemporary and art house films. Through his production house, he has supported films such as All We Imagine As Light, directed by Payal Kapadia. He believes that his popularity has given him a platform to promote these types of films.
"Cinema is one, language never mattered to me when I was watching it as a child. So growing up and working, it didn't matter which language it was, and I feel there's a voice to all kinds of stories. The first film we made at Spirit Media was an art house film. Art house didn't have any other way to release, and I feel like now, since I got a little bit more popular, I can advocate for some cinema," said Rana.
Rana will be next seen in the second season of Rana Naidu. It is directed by Karan Anshuman. Apart from the lead actor, the series also stars Surveen Chawla, Arjun Rampal and Kriti Kharbanda in prominent roles. The series is slated to release on Netflix on June 13.