Rana at RGV-Sunil ‘Katha, Screenplay, Darsakatvam :Appalraju‘ movie opening:
Featuring Sunil as male lead Ram Gopal Varma is going to direct a straight Telugu film after 12 years. Titled ‘Katha, Screenplay, Darsakatvam, Appalraju’, producer Kiran Kumar Koneru of Sreya Productions banner launched the film today morning (August 27th, 2010) at Annapurna Studios, Hyderabad. Colors Swathi is playing the female lead. The grand launching event was graced by yester year heroine Sridevi, her husband Bonny Kapoor, Nagarjuna, K Raghavendra Rao, Boyapati Sreenu, Naga Chaitanya, Rana, Nithin, Gunasekhar, B Gopal, Sreenu Vaitla, etc.

Rana at MAA “Cinemaa Awards” event:

The 6th MAA Cinemaa Awards event hosted in Hyderabad had all the glittering stars of the Tollywood and turned out to be a very bright event with rocking performances.
The glitzy event brought together the biggest names from the Telugu film Industry and graced by Dr. Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna, Srikanth and Anushka, new generation heroes Ram Charan, Vishnu, Rana and Taraka Ratna, film producers Allu Arvind, Shyamprasad Reddy, KS Rama Raoand Achi Reddy, Directors Raghavendra Rao, Krishna Reddy and Tammareddy Bhardwaja, Music directos M M Keeravani and Devi Sri Prasad.

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Southern star Rana Daggubati, who will make his debut in Bollywood with Dum Maro Dum, says that he didn’t face any problem while shooting an intimate scene with his co-star Bipasha Basu.

“I was most comfortable doing it. Bipasha and I got along from day one. By the time we came to the love scene, we were friends and very comfortable with one another as co-stars,” said Rana.

Directed by Rohan Sippy, Dum Maro Dum also features Abhishek Bachchan and Aditya Pancholi.

“I’m very lucky to have got along well with all my co-stars in my first Hindi film. It was a different world for me. Not that I am not familiar with Hindi films and stars. Our home production has been active in Hindi for decades. But I was never looked on as South-Indian star by my co-stars in Dum Maro Dum.”

Down south, Rana has a Casanova image and recently has been linked with Sriya Saran.

Asked about the link-up, he said, “Sriya and me? That’s a new one. We’ve known each other for years. She has worked in our home productions. So yeah, she’s a friend. Beyond that I haven’t met her for months. Right now there’s no one in my life. When there is, I’ll announce it so loud every mediaperson in Mumbai will hear me loud and clear.”

“I wish some of the link-ups were true. Sadly I am only into my work. There’s no girl in my life at the moment,” said Rana who speaks fluent Hindi.

Rana is the scion of the illustrious D Ramanaidu production house. Listed in the Guinness World Records as the most prolific Indian producer with 110 films in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and other languages, the banner, though fully active and flourishing in Hyderabad, has become inactive in Hindi cinema after the failure of their last film Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum Kahen (2002).

Now Rana is all set to revive his family’s banner in Mumbai with a spectacular Hindi film on the lines of D Ramanaidu’s Hindi blockbusters Premnagar and Tohfa. The Hindi project may star Rana with some of his Dum Maro Dum actors.

Confirming his plans to produce and act in a Hindi film for his home banner, Rana said, “That was definitely part of my plan from the start. See, unlike the other South Indian stars who have come to Hindi cinema after doing a dozens of films in their home language, I did one Telugu film Leader and quickly signed a Hindi film. Now that Dum Maro Dum is nearly complete, I’m doing two Telugu films and then the Hindi film.”

Mention Suriya, who would be making his Bollywood debut at around the same time, Ranasaid, “Suriya has been a superstar in Tamil for years. I saw his films when I was inschool. I think I’m close to Bollywood because being a Hyderabadi I speak fluent Hindi.”

Unlike other Southern stars trying to consolidate their position in Bollywood, Rana doesn’t feel the need to relocate to Mumbai.

“I’m just a flight away from Mumbai. After Mumbai producers see me in Dum Maro Dum, they’ll know how serious I am about my career in Mumbai.” (IANS).

Courtesy:IANS

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Tollywood stars and fashionistas flocked to the first day of the Blenders Pride Fashion show held at HICC on Friday night. Models showcased designs of Gavin Miguel, Madira Wirk and Ashish Soni on the ramp and guests were glad the show kicked off on time. Actor Rana, added glitz to the show by walking the ramp with Asmita marwa design collections and was followed by Perizaad Zorabian who was the showstopper for Gavin Miguel. Socialites caught up with each other over drinks during the intermission. Spotted Samantha Reddy,Venaktesh,Rana ,Nagarjuna,Harsh Reddy,Sumanth, Tanu, Priya Ram, Nikki-Ramana Gogula, Richa Jalan and others.

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The Mirchi Music Awards South 2009 event was hosted by actor and RJ Siva and director Venkat Prabhu.

The Mirchi Music Awards South 2009 was held on Saturday, 17th July 2010 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium was a grand affair with Ilaya Thalapathy Vijay, singers Chitra, Haricharan, Ranjith, Tippu, K.J. Jesudass and his wife, Vijay Jesudass and his wife. And music director Harris Jeyaraj, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Karthik Raja, Vijay Anthony, stars Rana Daggubati,Ram,Manoj,Tapasee,Kavya Madhavan, Prasanna, Siddarth, S.Ve. Shekher, Parthiban, directors Hari with his wife, Dharani, Linguswamy, Alibaba Krishna, and Adhithiyan among others gracing the occasion.

Sunday evening saw the best of talent from Telugu film industry being honoured and felicitated at the great event for their outstanding achievements and contributions in their chosen fields. It was a night when the dazzling stars glittered at HICC, Novotel in Hyderabad for Santhosham Film Awards 2009.

The guest list includes Movie Mughal Dr D Ramanaidu, Darsakaratna Dr Dasari Narayana Rao, Legendary singer SP Balasubrahmaniam, top producer Allu Arvind, Mega Power Star Ram Charan Tej, sensational hero Rana, Rebel star Krishnam Raju, MM Keeravani, SV Krishna Reddy, MAA President Murali Mohan, Dr K Venkateswara Rao, Shyam Prasad Reddy, Bellamkonda Suresh, Devisri Prasad, Anushka, Allari Naresh, Srikanth, Ooha, Varun Sandesh, Sai Kiran, Nikeesha Patel, Sraddha Das, Saloni, Kamna Jetmalani, Siya Gautham, Saranya Mohan, Sanjana, EVV Satyanarayana Rao, Sirivennela Seetarama Sastry, K Atchi Reddy, Giribabu, Koti, RP Patnaik, Kalyani, Surya Kiran, VN Aditya, Radha, Ambika, Raghu Babu, Parthasarathi, KL Narayana, Chinni Krishna and many more were attended.

Check out its Gallery:

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It is not often that one gets to hear such news but then the recent release ‘Sneha Geetham’ has been giving new waves of inspiration to many aspiring movie makers. Apparently, the film has been getting a decent response and especially the multiplexes have been showing resounding success.

It is exactly 25 days since the film has release,Let us wait to see what more this film has to achieve in the days to come.

Today producer L. Sridhar ‘Larsco Entertainments‘  held a ‘Sneha Geetham’ 25 Days celebration in FNCC along with director Madhura Sridhar, hero’s Chaitanya, Venki, Sandeep,herione’s Sherya Dhanawantry, Nakishtra etc   and Rana Daggubati was invited was special guest  to this event.

its event pictures:

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In the busy schedule of  ‘Dum Maro Dum‘ movie, hero ‘Rana Daggubati‘ attended as main guest in the ‘Indubaala TVS 8th Showroom launch‘ at Habsiguda, Taranaka,Hyderabad along with MLA Bandari Raji Reddy, Vice President, Manager of TVS motor cycles, state wide fan presidents etc.

Its launch pictures gallery:

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HE’S TALL, HANDSOME AND WITTY! AND NOW HE’S SHOWN HE CAN ACT WITH THE SMASHING SUCCESS OF LEADER. RANA DAGGUBATI TALKS TO NIDARSHANA SHARMA ANDRITIKA SAMTANEY ABOUT HIS PHENOMENAL DEBUT LEADER, HIS LOVE FOR ACTING AND MORE.
Congratulations. Leader has successfully completed 100 days. How’s the feeling?

Oh it’s always nice for a first film to do well. It wasn’t a regular launch for me. It wasn’t the usual dance-song-action routine. What’s very encouraging is the fact that a film like Leader becoming a commercial success at the box office. It throws open many doors for me and makes it easier for me to plan the rest of my career.

What made you do Leader then?
I wanted to participate in making newer cinema. I was already into visual effects and production, so I had an idea as to what kind of a film I’d like to act in. Also I believe since no two people are alike, the movies that they do also shouldn’t be similar.

So that was a risk you took which paid off. What if it hadn’t?

Oh that’s simple! I would have simply gone back to producing. You play this morally upright Chief Minister in the movie who aims to wipe out corruption single-handedly.

Do you think that’s possible in reality too?

You see, Leader was sort of a vision that we had for Andhra Pradesh or for our CM. It was a citizen’s personal wish list. We’ve already had such movies at the box office before and we have also had very powerful leaders in the past. Mahatma Gandhi or Sardar Vallabhai Patel for example. Today we need more of such leaders which is why our idea of Leader was born as cinema is our medium of reaching out to the people.

Will you want to be associated with politics?

Cinema is something I understand and politics is something I don’t, yet. So I tried putting across a dream through acting, which is what I can relate to most.

How was it working with Richa and Priya?

Both of them are extremely talented. After a long time, we’ve found a girl who speaks Telugu and has a good command over the language. That way, it was wonderful working with Priya. Richa, on the other hand, we found very late. We were shooting without an Archana. But we finally found her. She’s never acted before and I totally give it to her for blending in. She did really well.
You’re also doing a Hindi film, Dum Maaro Dum. Tell us about it. It came as a surprise for me. Rohan saw a few promos of mine and gave me a call and we started off much before Leader even released. I’m very happy with the way my career is shaping up because I would never be able to film like DMD, which is set in Goa, in Telugu.

Can you tell us something about your role in the film?
I play a goan musician in the film, which is not even me. Rohan saw Leader and thought I fit the role so I completely give it to a director to find the potential in you to play a certain character. The makeover in the film is so much that I feel Goan myself and I am glad this came my way.

Do you think it’s because of your good looks and personality that DMD happened?

First of all, thank you! I think I have a neutral face and I can pass off as, say, a Goan or a Hindi speaking guy. And my comfort to speak in Hindi proved to be an advantage.

How was it like working with big actors like Abhishek Bachchan and Bipasha Basu?
I have known Abhishek way before I did the film. I have known him for years now whereas Bipasha I know just now. Both of them are very chilled out and I shared a lovely bond working with them. Apart from the cast, even the crew of the film was fun to work with.

When is the film due for release?

The film will complete by the end of this year so early next year is when it should hopefully release.

What are your upcoming projects?
I’m doing a bilingual, in fact, both in Tamil and Telugu. One is with Gautam Menon and the other is with Selvaraghavan.

You come from a family of actors and producers, has that been an influence in your decision to act?
There is definitely a little more of an edge that I get from the family that I come from so it’s been a great influence in many ways. It’s like being in film school from when you’re in class 1 so I understand films in and out. Tell us something about your film, A Belly Full of Dreams, back in 2006 which won a national award for the best film. At that point of time I had been running a visual effects company, Spirit Media for about seven years then. I was looking at interesting stuff to make. It was then that my neighbor Prakash, Raghavendra Rao sir’s son came to me with this idea he had heard from a writer, J.K. Baravi, which he rewrote. I wanted to be a part of the film in some way, so I entered as a co-producer of the film, set up a team for it and finally made the film. The film deals with an eight-year-old rag picker who dreams of going to school. How he realizes his dream is the root of the story.

From the CEO of an enterprise to an actor in the limelight. How was the transition?
At the end of the day, it’s cinema. I enjoy being on either side of the camera. Both have their beauty, strengths and hardships. It’s cinema and it’s fun.

All the other young actors in the industry are your friends as well as your competitors. Is that a dilemma?

I think cinema, being an art, must not be competition-oriented. All the actors that you’re talking about are people who’ve been my buddies since childhood. But we don’t look alike nor are our ideas alike, so we do what appeals to us the most. Often the four of us- Bunny, Charan, Chaitanya and I sit together and watch each other’s edits and talk about what would work and what wouldn’t, so the sense of competition is irrelevant.

Out of all the films that they have done, is there any film that you would badly want to do?
I think every actor is made for his film so I am content doing my own films.

Who is your favorite present-day actress?

I think Asin and Trisha are two very talented ladies. That’s precisely why they’ve broken all barriers and done Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and now, Hindi films. Another is Priyamani. She’s done fabulous work in Paruthiveeran.

I don’t think anyone else could have done better. If not acting then what would it be?
My life has been revolving around films and most of it comes from my lineage. The amount of knowledge that a person like me gets is vast. Therefore there is a natural edge and ability to do not just acting but a lot of stuff related to films.

Would you ever do a Hollywood film?

I would love to, but I don’t know how to! (chuckles).

What about direction?
I would like to do it sometime soon. It’s not a far-fetched idea. I have been writing on and off so a feature film is definitely on my mind.

What are the genres that you prefer?
I like all genres but I am particular fond of chick-flicks. One thing that I can’t stand is horror because I somehow don’t understand the concept of horror films. I haven’t watched a horror film in my entire life.

You have become the heartthrob of Tollywood. Has that kind of fame hampered your personal life?
Not one bit. I come from a family that has been pretty much well-known in Hyderabad. So, nothing has changed drastically. I still go to the same restaurants, have the same set of friends and stuff. I go to Old City even now. I’m a haleem lover. I frequent Ofen for breakfast even now. In fact, I feel happy when people recognize me because that way I know they’ve
watched my film. So it’s a good thing.

What’s the best compliment you’ve received so far?
It’s nice to hear people’s opinion about you and your work. Leader was not just an unconventional debut it was also a responsible one. So that sort of instilled respect in people for my work. But yeah the best time was when a person came up to me and said Leader was his first film in a decade. It was a really good feeling.

Your craziest female fan?
Umm, there were instances of crazy girls at a few shows. And I couldn’t handle them! So I’ve been on guard ever since!

What keeps you fit?
I’m making a conscious effort to keep fit ever since I became an actor, though I cheat once a week! I work out regularly. I don’t have a sweet tooth so it makes it easier. Moreover I’m a meat lover so my taste buds are also naturally inclined towards protein.

Would you like to own an IPL team?
I’d like to own the IPL itself! (laughs)

Are you into sports?
I used to play cricket when I was in school. I used to play little basketball and I was pretty decent at defense. I took cricket seriously but after an injury it took a backseat. I watch cricket and basketball. But I’ve not been able to follow FIFA 2010.

What are your other interests?
I love video games. I’m trying to beat my five-year-old brother at Need for Speed. But they get to it much faster than we do!

Is there anyone special in your life?
Yeah, my parents! (laughs). On a serious note, I haven’t found the right girl because to fall in love you need to be at a place and I keep travelling constantly, it’s been a month since I went home. I just live off a suitcase. But I’m looking out for someone special.

Check out its exclusive photo shoot stills:

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“Time is temporary but a film is forever” I think this quote came out because I don’t have a release for a while now.

Before ‘Leader’, I always said that I wanted to do an alternative film that follows a mainstream hero’s journey; ‘Leader’ was just that. I had a few reservations on the second half of the film and how the love story would play out eventually. As much as I loved the idea of the protagonist cheating a girl for the well being of the people, I just had a different view on how it could develop given the screen time of the film. I voiced it out, but being my first film, it didn’t matter to most. Not complaining at all, because I got all I wanted from the film, because Sekhar helped bring out my personality on screen in the most unique way possible, while the rest were hell bent on making me into an action hero.

So I finished Debut 1 – a Telugu film, which had a reasonably good reception both at the BO and with the critics. Then Debut 2 in Hindi ‘Dum Maro Dum’ came as a pleasant surprise to me, because after a Telugu film I was looking for a larger Telugu film or a bi-lingual (Telugu-Tamil) film ideally. So, in a way God blessed me with extra love and gave me a speedy second film in Hindi.

Then came the monstrous task of choosing the next script. Lots of script readings, lots more narrations, many stories waiting to be told some even went up to the 5th and 6th drafts and then got adrift in the script development process. Heard stories from almost everyone – top directors and writers to young and upcoming ones. Working with so many diverse kinds of people, I had lots of questions that I was unable to voice plainly. Similarly they had a lot of questions to ask of me “Who is he to ask us to change? What does he know? He’s only one film old… little more graciously though.I know I’m one film old and I don’t have the right, but surely do have the capability and understanding in terms of story development, screenplay structure, character graphs, that I’ve been learning for years now.

Key issue with most storytellers today is that many of them don’t write start to end,they start shooting before they have a full bound script; they work with shooting drafts or ideas and concepts and find the film in the process of making it. Works very well for them, but not for me.

I’d like to know what I’m getting into quite clearly and right from the beginning. Whether it works or not, if it works it’s great and if it doesn’t I clearly understand the mistakes I shouldn’t make in my next. That eliminates quite a few filmmakers from me.I first and foremost want a genre film. I fail to understand the term “Mass, Action,Love Story with Entertainment.”

I think, I can only handle one and maybe two of the above at a time. I often keep wondering where is the real cinema I grew up watching,I can’t find a ‘Pathala Bhairavi’, a ‘Gundamma Katha’ or a ‘Danaveerasura Karna’ an ‘Alluri Sitaramaraju’, a ‘Shiva’, a ‘Swati Muthyam’ today. The only thing that excites me in Telugu cinema today is to see the success of a variety of genres with films like ‘Arundhati’, ‘Yae Maya Chesavae’ and ‘Leader’ all being genre specific films and did commercially well at the BO. To me it’s fairly straight and simple – is the film engaging or is it not, do I have fun reading it, will I have fun doing it and finally will I have fun watching it. If I truly like it, I know they are a lot out there who’ll like it as well.

And another interesting challenge these days, which was never the case in Telugucinema, is the casting. Problem one, we have a very limited number of girls to work with who speak Telugu, second I am 6ft 3inches which means the girl atleast has to be 5’6 and above to make a good screen pair (Please don’t give me examples of Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, they make a fab pair but I’m not Mr. Big B). And from the natural choices of that are available there is Kajal, Genelia,Tamanna, Ileana, Richa, Samantha and others who fit my screen age but, their dates aren’t available till late this year or almost Jan next year simply because of the number of films they’re working in. Very happy for them but it’s not good for me.So hence planning a film schedule around these dates is almost next to impossible.

Another mammoth task is the budget that comes into play with me as the lead, there’s a clear limit to my budgets – my first was ‘Leader’ not ‘Magadheera’. And each story has a limitation for the genre it’s belongs; for example an action film can pull larger audiences than a simple comedy, a family drama can bring in more audiences than a thriller. And being a producer myself, more so coming from a production family, I’d like all; Producers, Buyers, Distributors and Exhibitors to reap benefits from myfilms.

Being born in Chennai and brought up in Hyderabad, I grew up speaking Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. So I am blessed in a way to venture out into cinema in different languages. And try to eventually grow to a sizeable market, to create all the stories I can, and with lesser financial constraints. Am working on it, let’s see how it goes. Since time is temporary but a film is forever, I want people to remember me in a film that I’m proud to have been a part of.

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