Latest news with #Paradha
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘Cinema Bandi put me on the map; Keedaa Cola sealed my identity' Rag Mayur
Rag Mayur, once a tech professional with a master's degree, traded his career to pursue his passion for acting. His journey from RTC Crossroads to roles in Cinema Bandi and Keedaa Cola showcases his dedication. From being a studious state-ranker and earning a master's degree in the US to building a tech career, Rag Mayur left it all behind to follow his dream of acting. Best known for his roles in Cinema Bandi and Keedaa Cola, he's now juggling a musical biopic, a comedy entertainer, and the upcoming film Paradha and TV series The Family Man 3. 'Life's been quite full lately, with multiple projects in the works — and there's no slowing down,' he says. 'Growing up, movies were my only escape' Born and raised near RTC Crossroads, which he calls 'the Mecca of Telugu cinema,' Mayur's love for films began early. 'My parents were humble clerks. Dad worked with the Handicapped Welfare Department and mom was a typist with TSRTC. We couldn't afford family vacations, so movies became my only escape. I was obsessed with Shah Rukh Khan. I'd try to mimic him, dress like him,' he says with a laugh. 'Everything changed after my short film went viral' But acting, for Rag Mayur, was never the plan. 'I topped my boards, got a state rank of 755 in EAMCET, and enrolled in Osmania University for a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science Engineering. After a stint in the US for a master's degree at the University of Delaware, I returned to work in Bengaluru. But the film bug was always there,' he says. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Many Filipinos don't know about this! Read More Undo His entry into films came after years of making short films, acting in theatre, and going to countless auditions. 'A short film of mine, Raama Kanavemira, went viral in 2016. That gave me direction,' he recalls. 'Working in Keeda Cola was a turning point' What followed was a slow but steady climb, and his big break came with Cinema Bandi. 'It was shot in 2019 and released in 2021 on OTT. Overnight, people started recognising me.' After that, he had roles in Modern Love Hyderabad and Gandhi Tatha Chettu, but it was Keedaa Cola with Tharun Bhascker that gave him real recognition in theaters. 'I got called, and it was surreal. The trailer alone led to offers like Paradha and Sivarapalli. ' 'Working with Manoj Bajpayee was a surreal experience' Just as his Telugu film career was picking up momentum, a chance came his way to step into Bollywood. 'One day, DK called me and asked if I'd be interested in playing a small role in The Family Man Season 3. I jumped with joy. For someone shaped by Hindi cinema, it felt like taking baby steps into a world that first sparked my love for movies.' he says. The real treat, however, came on set, sharing screen space with Manoj Bajpayee. 'I was obviously starstruck.' After the shoot, Mayur was stunned when Manoj praised his performance to DK, complimenting the nuances he brought to the role. 'I was in a trance. Later, I even asked him for an autograph. That's probably the most treasured validation of my journey so far.' -Paul Nicodemus
Hans India
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
‘Yatra Naryastu' from ‘Paradha' gets released, creates buzz
Director Praveen Kandregula, who made a mark with Cinema Bandi, is returning with an emotionally intense and culturally rooted film titled Paradha. Produced by the acclaimed duo Raj and DK—best known for The Family Man—the film is jointly backed by Vijay Donkada, Sreenivasulu PV, and Sridhar Makkuva under the Ananda Media banner. Starring Anupama Parameswaran in a powerful lead role, Paradha also features Darshana Rajendran, Sangitha, and Rag Mayur in significant parts. The film is slated for a theatrical release on August 22. To mark the announcement, the makers unveiled the film's first single, Yatra Naryastu. Composed by Gopi Sundar, the track is a tribute to the resilience and divinity of women. Vanamali's meaningful lyrics combined with Anurag Kulkarni's stirring vocals create an emotionally charged and spiritually rich experience. The visuals accompanying the song are poignant — featuring Anupama in a white saree, exuding grief and strength as she undergoes a painful village tradition, while her family mourns silently. The scenes reflect the emotional and societal challenges faced by women in rural communities. The film's poster, featuring Anupama draped in a traditional saree with a goddess idol in the backdrop, hints at the film's spiritual undertone and female-led narrative. The promotional content so far has been met with an enthusiastic response. Paradha promises a blend of cultural authenticity, emotional depth, and a strong message on women's empowerment. The cinematography is handled by Mridul Sujit Sen, with editing by Dharmendra Kakarala. Expectations are high as Praveen Kandregula collaborates with Raj and DK for a story rooted in tradition yet relevant to contemporary conversations.
New Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Praveen Kandregula: Crafting cinema with heart
He brought a refreshing twist to Tollywood with his breakout film Cinema Bandi and now with Subham. Filmmaker Praveen Kandregula is known for weaving everyday life into stories with heart and realism. An engineer by degree but a storyteller at soul, his passion for cinema was sparked way back in his school days. In an exclusive chat with CE, he opens up about his journey, inspirations, and everything in between. Excerpts Tell us about your film Subham. Raj Nidimoru sir, the creative producer, called me. By then, they had already developed quite a bit. I was busy with my next film Paradha when I got the offer. Once my shoot was wrapped, my direction department and I began working together on the script. We spent about six months on it. We had a dedicated script room, with colourful posters and a big flowchart pinned across the walls — just full of ideas. Raj sir's guidance really helped us during this phase. We also did a lot of auditions. How was Samantha's first production experience for you? It was beautiful. She wanted to make a clean, classy comedy. She was involved in the script, and we had workshops with her. She gave some great inputs to the actors — on how to perform, how to deliver certain emotions. It was a very personal film for her. She wanted to share a beautiful message about husband-wife relationships, conveyed in a subtle, organic way. She's also very chill as a producer — happy on set, and gives us the creative freedom we need. Our mindsets matched, even during scripting and editing stages. She was involved in everything. Definitely one of the coolest producers I've worked with.
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Cinematographer Mridul Sen on ‘Subham': We took a cinéma vérité approach
In Subham, the Telugu film produced by Samantha Ruth Prabhu and directed by Praveen Kandregula, Bheemunipatnam in Andhra Pradesh is presented as an idyllic seaside town in pastel hues. This charming town transitions into a spooky setting as the story progresses into a horror comedy. Giving this film and its story, with its underlying themes of feminism and masculinity, a pleasing visual aesthetic is cinematographer Mridul Sen. Her camera functions as an invisible observer, dutifully capturing the essence of the story and its characters. 'We wanted Subham's visual tonality to be realistic, on the lines of cinéma vérité,' says Mridul, referring to the style of documentary filmmaking that emerged in France in the 1960s. During the location recce, Mridul observed how the coastal town retained an old world charm and was mostly in pastel hues. The film's story is set in the early 2000s, before the arrival of smartphones. Mridul says the team did not have to make major changes since 'Bheemili is still untouched by today's frenzy.' For the story that revolves around three couples in a middle class locality, Mridul recalls how Praveen Kandregula did not want clothes or props to be too bright or new. 'We coordinated with the costume department (Poojitha Tadikonda) and production designer (Ramcharan Tej Labani), ensuring that the colours were muted. 'Praveen did not want anything brand new or even with a fresh coat of paint. He avoided curtains or cushions that could be jarring.' This attention to detail extended to the makeup of the artistes, and the jumpscares that unravelled like a prank. 'We wanted to keep things light rather than creepy,' adds Mridul. Subham marks Mridul's entry into Telugu cinema, but it was the second Telugu film she signed. She and Praveen first worked on the soon-to-release Paradha, a road trip story featuring Anupama Parameswaran, Sangita Krish and Darshana Rajendran. 'Paradha is poetic and earthy in its visual treatment. We were focusing on its post-production work when Subham came our way.' Mumbai-based Mridul is an alumnus of New York Film Academy's Los Angeles campus. She describes the film school as a cultural hotpot where she collaborated with peers from the US, Egypt, Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico, and Spain. 'NYFA encouraged a collaborative atmosphere; we learnt direction, editing and colour grading as well. We handled different responsibilities while working on each other's films.' Mridul was fascinated by the visual arts in her formative years, from painting to photography, and had also been drawn towards television. 'There was no defining moment or an epiphany, it was a natural progression from assisting my father, Sujit Asit Sen, a steadicam operator, during Dilwale and Singham Returns, to wanting to be a cinematographer.' Guided by cinematographer Binod Pradhan, she applied to NYFA. Mridul's first feature was the Marathi film Khari Biscuit for which she won the award for best cinematography from Sakal Premier Awards, 2019. Commercials, music videos and short films followed. The short film Written By? fetched her the best cinematography award at the Kolkata Short Film Festival. The chance to work with Praveen Kandregula came through common friends and Mridul had no preconceived notion about mainstream Telugu films. Having watched Praveen's indie film Cinema Bandi, she was game for a new journey. A film's genre and story are of prime importance to her, not the language. While the response to Subham is still trickling in, Mridul is awaiting the release of Paradha. In contrast to the intimate world of Subham, she reveals that Paradha incorporates drone shots and wider frames as the narrative travels from the Telugu States to Dharamshala, using a visual palette steeped in stark, earthy tones. Mridul does not make a big deal of being among the few female cinematographers in India, more so in Telugu cinema. Asked why fewer women take to the craft, she says after careful consideration, 'There is a notion that this is a labour intensive job, involving long hours of being on our feet. I would argue that if I were in a desk job, it would be mentally taxing. Rather than talk about how cinematography is not solely a man's job, I prefer to keep my head down, do the work and silently break the stereotype.'
