“The Money and Time Spent on This Film Won’t Go Waste” – Sandeep Reddy Vanga

The grand pre-release event of ‘Romanchakam’ was held in Hyderabad with star hero Vijay Deverakonda as the chief guest. Presented by blockbuster director Sandeep Reddy Vanga and produced under the Bhadrakali Pictures banner by Pranay Reddy Vanga, the film stars Sumanth Prabhas and Ananthika Sanilkumar in the lead roles. Newcomer Venugopal Reddy has directed the movie, which promises a youthful blend of love, comedy and suspense. The film is scheduled for a worldwide grand theatrical release on September 3, with premieres planned for September 2.

Ananthika Sanilkumar: Ananthika thanked Vijay Deverakonda for attending the pre-release event and said she was extremely happy to be part of the ‘Romanchakam’ journey. She expressed gratitude to producer Sandeep Reddy Vanga, producer Pranay Reddy Vanga and director Venugopal Reddy. She said the entire team worked together with great fun and happiness and that the feeling of ‘Romanchakam’ remained with them every day. She also praised DOP Pawan and music director Vasuki for their work. Describing the film as an entertainer that can be enjoyed with friends and family, she urged audiences to watch it in theatres from September 3.

Director Venugopal Reddy: Venugopal Reddy said his journey with Sandeep Reddy Vanga began after ‘Kabir Singh’. He recalled that Sandeep could understand where a story was heading within minutes of hearing it. He said he approached Sandeep and Pranay Reddy Vanga with confidence because of their strong sense of humour and received complete creative freedom. According to Venugopal, Sandeep told him to simply follow his vision and make the film his way. He explained that the story reflects the confidence young people have during college and the reality they encounter after stepping into the outside world. He said Sandeep trusted his writing, characters and vision completely. Venugopal revealed that he selected Sumanth after watching a small scene from ‘Mem Famous’ and praised his talent and performance. He expressed confidence that Sumanth would receive the kind of attention Vijay Deverakonda received after ‘Arjun Reddy’. He also praised Ananthika as a talented and beautiful performer and said that, despite having access to experienced technicians, he chose to work with mostly newcomers because he trusted his vision. He promised audiences a fresh film with fresh performances.

Sumanth Prabhas: Sumanth said the impact of ‘Arjun Reddy’, made by Vijay Deverakonda and Sandeep Reddy Vanga, was immense and that the film inspired his generation. He recalled watching Vijay’s ‘Pelli Choopulu’ and feeling that people like them could also attempt careers in cinema. Sumanth remembered how Vijay had supported and promoted ‘Mem Famous’, saying that encouragement continues to motivate him. He said that from the day Sandeep narrated the story to him and from the moment he entered the Bhadrakali Pictures office, every day felt exciting. Sumanth said working under the banner associated with Sandeep and Vijay made him feel that he could become a bigger hero and that ‘Romanchakam’ should be the stepping stone towards that dream. He promised audiences a cute and fun-filled film with entertaining characters and said the movie would provide two-and-a-half hours of continuous entertainment. He invited audiences to enjoy the film with their friends and families.

Producer Pranay Reddy Vanga: Pranay said Sumanth’s real-life personality and the character he plays in the film are closely connected, with around 70 percent of the character matching his natural personality. He praised Ananthika’s talent and performance and said the actors playing Sumanth’s friends—Narendra, Ravi, Venkatesh and Mani—look and behave like a real group of friends. He particularly expressed confidence that the film would be a turning point for Narendra and Ravi. Pranay appreciated the work of the entire technical team, saying they believed in Venugopal’s vision and worked with passion despite being newcomers. He praised Vasuki’s music and Pawan’s cinematography and described Venugopal as a producer-friendly director who completed the film within the planned budget. He expressed confidence that the project would open up more opportunities for the director and other members of the team. Pranay also called ‘Romanchakam’ a clean film that families can enjoy together and thanked Prabhas for supporting and sharing the film’s songs. He hinted at a special connection with Meher Ramesh that audiences would understand after watching the movie.

Producer Sandeep Reddy Vanga: Sandeep said he laughed a lot when Venugopal narrated the story and initially questioned whether the director could translate the narration onto the screen with the same impact. Venugopal later showed him a six-minute scene, which Sandeep felt was even better than what was written in the script. From that point, he handed over complete responsibility for the film to Venugopal and said he did not interfere in the filmmaking process. Sandeep praised Sumanth for blending naturally with all the friends’ characters despite being the main lead and said his innocent character had been performed very well. He also praised Ananthika and the entire supporting cast. He said Vasuki was chosen for the music with confidence and that the songs and background music proved that decision right. Sandeep revealed that the film will release on September 3, with premieres on September 2. He described September 3 as the day Venugopal’s dream would come true and wished that it would remain an unforgettable day in the director’s life, just as August 24 remains unforgettable for him and Vijay because of ‘Arjun Reddy’. Sandeep said the entire team worked extremely hard and assured audiences that their time and money would not be wasted, adding that the film has scenes that may make viewers want to watch it again.

Vijay Deverakonda: Vijay Deverakonda said the love he has for Sandeep Reddy Vanga cannot be expressed in words and described their relationship as something beyond that of a director and actor, brothers or even friends. Recalling the making of ‘Arjun Reddy’, Vijay said they had taken a huge risk at a time when they had neither money, fame nor influence. He said even ‘Pelli Choopulu’ had not been released then, so they did not have an established fan base supporting them. Vijay recalled that Sandeep’s family had taken an enormous financial risk by investing in the film, and said he would go to any extent for Sandeep just as Sandeep would do anything for him. He joked that he could not have stayed away when Sandeep invited him to the event. Vijay said he saw a dream for cinema in Sumanth Prabhas’ eyes and believed that Sumanth would one day become an actor or director. He recalled supporting and promoting ‘Mem Famous’ and said he wanted to do whatever he could to encourage Sumanth. Vijay expressed confidence that a film made under the Bhadrakali Pictures banner by Sandeep and Pranay would achieve success. He wished Sumanth, Ananthika, Venugopal and the entire new team a major victory. Vijay also mentioned that Anand particularly likes Vasuki’s ‘Radharamana’ song and listens to it every day. He wished the film great success from its September 2 premieres and stressed that enjoying the filmmaking journey and believing in oneself are important. According to Vijay, success may come today or tomorrow, but if people retain confidence and the determination to succeed, they will eventually achieve it.