Latest news with #Rathnam
The Hindu
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Pawan Kalyan on ‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu': I have not abandoned my film
On Monday morning, when Pawan Kalyan took to the stage to address the media in Hyderabad, he wasn't speaking in his capacity of Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, but as an actor. 'If I have refrained from promoting my films all these years, it is not out of arrogance. I find it awkward to talk about the work that has gone into a film and market it. I have always believed that if a film is good, there is no need to promote it. And any promotion cannot not help a bad film,' he stated. His new Telugu film, Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 - Sword vs Spirit, will be released in multiple languages on July 24. Pawan Kalyan began by stating that he has addressed the media on several occasions to discuss societal issues and politics but cannot recall the last time he held a press conference for a film. He made an exception to stand by his producer, AM Rathnam, as the film had faced several challenges during its making for five years. The film's release went through postponements multiple times. Over the weekend, there were reports of complaints being filed with the Film Chamber of Commerce pertaining to the producer's non-clearance of dues for two of his earlier films. The actor stated that in the early days of his career, he had aspired to work in a film produced by Rathnam, who has delivered blockbuster hits in Telugu and Tamil since the 1990s such as Kartavyam, Indian (Bharateeyudu), among several others. Pawan Kalyan's first collaboration with Rathnam was the 2001 hit, Kushi. 'He gave me the creative freedom to work on the stunt choreography during the pre-production of Kushi. Rathnam does not retaliate even if others speak to him harshly. I felt the need to support him when he is facing trouble. He began his career as a makeup assistant and grew step by step in cinema,' the actor recalled. Hari Hara Veera Mallu is a period action entertainer set during the time when Aurangzeb reigned over Golconda Sultanate. 'Director Krish Jagarlamudi approached us with a high-concept story that we all liked. The film faced delays during the pandemic and later I got busy with my political career. Though Krish stepped back due to varied reasons, Rathnam and Jyothi Krishna, who took up the task of direction, were relentless and ensured that the film was completed,' said Pawan Kalyan. The actor highlighted the high action climax episode that was filmed in scorching summer over 57 days. The team, he added, wondered if the span of the story would fit into one film. Eventually, Hari Hara Veera Mallu became a two-part film with the 20-minute climax sequence of the first part acting as a segue to the second part. 'All the martial arts training I had done years ago came in handy,' he added. Pawan Kalyan applauded Bobby Deol as the perfect choice to portray Aurangzeb and also lavished praise on Nidhhi Agerwal, the female lead, for singlehandedly taking up the task of promoting the film. He also appreciated the support of composer MM Keeravani, director of photography Manoj Paramahamsa and the other members of cast and crew. Apart from speaking about the film and the producer, what stood out was Pawan Kalyan asserting that cinema is above caste, religious and regional divides. 'It does not matter who you are and whether you hail from a film family. Creativity and talent matter.' Reiterating his commitment to the films he had taken up in recent years before he took up his post as Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan added, 'I have not been competitive in cinema. But it is cinema that gave me food, made me what I am. So I am here to state that I have not abandoned my film.'
Hans India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
AM Rathnam confirms paid premieres for ‘HHVM'; clarifies historical fiction nature
n8With the grand release of Hari Hara Veera Mallu fast approaching on July 24, veteran producer A.M. Rathnam recently engaged with both print and digital media, offering insights into the film's journey, clarifying common misconceptions, and revealing exciting plans for fans. Addressing the mounting anticipation, Rathnam confirmed that the team is gearing up for special paid premieres across Telugu states. 'We're planning paid premieres for Hari Hara Veera Mallu. Once permissions are secured, we aim to announce 9:00 PM shows on July 23,' he revealed. Clarifying widespread belief about delays, the producer explained, 'The film didn't consume too many shooting days. The period setting and scale of the narrative demanded more effort. That's what prolonged the timeline, not excessive shoot days.' Rathnam also addressed speculations about the film being based on a historical figure. 'Hari Hara Veera Mallu is purely fictional. It's a creative story set in the 17th century and not a biopic,' he stated firmly. Expressing his confidence in the film's impact, Rathnam added, 'After watching this movie, people will say — 'Rathnam, you've made a fine film!' That's the response we're striving for.' Directed by Jyothi Krishna and produced by A. Dayakar Rao under Mega Surya Productions, the film stars Power Star Pawan Kalyan in the lead role, alongside Nidhhi Agerwal. With music by M.M. Keeravani, the film promises a rich blend of grandeur, emotion, and action. The countdown to July 24 has begun, and Hari Hara Veera Mallu is set to roar into theatres with high expectations.
Mint
16-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Why Milky Mist is eyeing value-added dairy products to fuel growth ahead of IPO
Bengaluru: Dairy products maker Milky Mist Dairy Food Ltd is eyeing growth in its margin and topline with increased focus on value-added dairy products. The company is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO), and is expected to raise as much as $2.3 billion ( ₹2,000 crore). The firm finds immense potential in value-added products like probiotic curd, sweetened condensed milk, and protein-rich paneer, as they help create differentiation and target premium consumers who value nutrition over price points, K. Rathnam, chief executive officer of Milky Mist Dairy, said in an interview. 'Protein products are our fastest-growing category, and there is great potential for further growth. The category is evolving and is contributing well to our topline." Products treated at ultra-high temperatures kill bacteria and have an extended shelf life. 'More than 70% of the population does not meet the daily requirement of protein. Post covid, there is a change in the consumption pattern where people look for a good quality product in terms of nutritional value," he noted. The firm's revenue grew nearly 27% in the financial year ended March 2025 compared to the previous year, while profit after tax grew year-on-year, Rathnam said. 'Despite a slowdown in consumption, our topline grew 27% year-on-year and Ebitda as well as profit after tax also improved," he said. In FY24, the Erode-based company reported revenue of ₹1,900 crore from ₹1,437 crore a year ago, while its profit declined to ₹19.46 crore from ₹28 crore in the previous fiscal year, according to filings with the ministry of corporate affairs. Focus from the start The firm currently has a unit near Erode in Tamil Nadu that can process 12.5 lakh litres of milk per day. The firm is working on expanding the capacity of the existing unit with an investment of ₹620 crore. According to Rathnam, the expanded unit will have a total capacity of 20 lakh litres and is expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year. 'The expansion is going on. We are setting up a cheese plant and have commissioned a newpaneer plant in the same processing unit. We have been spending a lot of money on setting up new technologies in tandem with our year-on-year growth," Rathnam added. Founded in 1997 by Sathish Kumar, Milky Mist started by selling paneer products and eventually expanded its product line to include other dairy products such as curd, buttermilk, khoya, milkshakes, cheese, and ghee. As part of its long-term strategy, the firm avoided selling milk itself, given its low margins and higher costs. CEO Rathnam previously served as the managing director of Amul Dairy. 'From the beginning, we focused on paneer and other dairy products because processing milk requires a decentralised processing plant. It also needs scale and volume, which later becomes a matter of multiple plants and operation lines. A single processing unit helps us maintain strict control over quality," Rathnam said. Also Read: Protein powers new launches for dairy and snacking companies Even though the production of value-added products can be at least 5x costlier than liquid milk, the growing consumption patterns offer an opportunity for sustained business. 'In a whole life cycle, one may be consuming just 1-2 glasses of milk every day. The scope is limited. But for value-added products, there are multiple avenues for repeat consumption," according to the executive. Also Read: Delhi draws a line in the sand over American dairy Bright prospects According to a June 2025 report by Crisil, value-added products are expected to bolster dairy company growth by 11-13% in FY26, thanks to higher margins and favourable user shifts. 'Overall, improved product mix, healthy volumes and rising retail prices are expected to help dairy companies see revenue growth of 11-13% in FY26," the report added. The dairy market in India is highly competitive. According to IMARC Group estimates, it touched ₹18,975 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to ₹57,000 billion by 2033, propelled by technological innovation and rising consumer demand for a diversified and quality-focused product range. Milky Mist competes with Amul Dairy, Heritage Foods and Nandini in the non-milk categories. Milky Mist converted into a public company earlier this year, according to filings available with the ministry of public affairs (MCA). It also appointed two independent directors—Radha Venkatakrishnan and Mallika S Janakiraman—to its board in April. CEO Rathnam did not comment on the IPO timeline and size. Also Read: Is that paneer artificial or milk-based? Govt wants to know
Pink Villa
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Varun Tej-Lavanya's baby delivery, Akhil's wedding to Vishal tying the knot: Major celebrations South will witness this year
The South industry has been flooded with some major events this year, taking the center stage of conversation. As we are already halfway through the year, let's take a look at some of the most buzzing events. Major South celebrations happening this year 1. Varun Tej and Lavanya Tripathi's pregnancy Varun Tej Konidela and his wife Lavanya Tripathi, made the headlines after the Telugu celebrity couple tied the knot in 2023. Now, the lovebirds are all set to become parents. The official announcement was made by the couple through their social media handle, which was shared on May 6, 2025. The post had both of them holding hands with a baby shoe in their hand. They penned the caption, 'Life's most beautiful role yet - Coming soon.' 2. Akhil Akkineni to wed Zainab Ravdjee Telugu couple Nagarjuna Akkineni and Amala's son Akhil Akkineni is all set to tie the wedding knot on June 6, 2025. The Agent actor made his relationship with painter Zainab Ravdjee official in November 2024 after an engagement ceremony. With the grand wedding taking place at the Annapuran Studios in Hyderabad, the event is expected to be a star-studded affair. Earlier, Akhil's older brother, Naga Chaitanya, got married to Sobhita Dhulipala at the same venue. As the 31-year-old actor is entering wedlock with a Mumbai-based artist, esteemed personalities like Revanth Reddy, Chandrababu Naidu, and more are invited to the wedding. Moreover, there are speculations that a celebratory event will be taking place in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, after the marriage ceremony. 3. Vishal weds Sai Dhanshika Talking about weddings, another celebrity couple to ring the wedding bells this year is Tamil actors Vishal and Sai Dhanshika. The Rathnam actor had made his relationship official earlier during the actress' latest movie Yogi Da's audio launch. At the wedding, the actors made it clear that they would be getting married on August 29, 2025, coinciding with Vishal's birthday this year. Vishal and Dhanshika had been making quite a buzz for some time now with their relationship rumors. Earlier, it was speculated that the actors would be getting engaged soon.
