“Deewana” Collections Are Growing Day by Day; Positive Word-of-Mouth Is Spreading – Producers Vasudev Koppineni & Sridevi Karyampudi
“‘Deewana’ Has Given Us Creative Satisfaction, and We Believe It Will Bring Financial Satisfaction This Weekend Too” – Producers Vasudev Koppineni & Sridevi Karyampudi
Young and talented actor Harshith Reddy’s latest film “Deewana” has been produced by Vasudev Koppineni and Sridevi Karyampudi under the banners ARHA Media and V Studios. The beautiful love story also marks the debut of actress Smeha Manimegalai and director Sreekanth Sangishetty. Released theatrically on June 20, Deewana has been receiving a positive response from audiences across different sections and is running successfully in theatres.Speaking at the film’s success meet, producers Sridevi Karyampudi and Vasudev Koppineni shared their thoughts on the movie’s reception.
Producer Sridevi Karyampudi said: Deewana has been receiving an encouraging response from audiences. The story truly takes off from the second half. We started this project because we were highly impressed by the interval and second-half portions. The transformation of the carefree hero is shown in the latter half, making it emotionally engaging. However, because of the ‘A’ certification, family audiences are unable to watch the film. We are disappointed that a good film is not reaching everyone.We were completely occupied with the film’s promotions and marketing when the censor-related issues arose. We didn’t even have enough time to approach the Revision Committee. Apart from one visual cut, we were asked to make a few audio cuts. Even before that, they indicated that only after making those cuts would they consider a different certificate, which made us feel the certification decision had already been made.We are grateful that both the audience and reviewers have not revealed the interval twist. Initially, we were worried that the surprise element might be disclosed. While the twist is crucial, the film becomes even stronger with its storytelling after the interval. Harshith has been actively promoting the film and is even attending a special show booked by his fans today. He will also be visiting colleges and theatres over the next few days.We didn’t stop with just financing the film. Coming from a creative background, we were deeply involved in every aspect of filmmaking. We sat with the director and discussed everything from the hero’s costumes to his hairstyle and makeover. Though we had previously worked on multiple projects, we dedicated ourselves entirely to this one film.Deewana has given us immense creative satisfaction. We believe it will also bring financial satisfaction over the coming week. Most importantly, we are proud that we made a genuinely good film.
Producer Vasudev Koppineni said: We had meticulously planned everything before the film’s release, including premiere shows in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Hyderabad. However, delays in the censor certification prevented us from executing those plans. Changing the release date is extremely difficult for a small-budget film.Initially, audiences assumed Deewana was purely a youthful entertainer.
In reality, it is a wholesome family film that blends love, friendship, and family emotions, along with meaningful and thought-provoking dialogues. We sincerely thank everyone who has watched the film for not revealing the crucial interval twist. Since online booking platforms display the film as 18+, many families have stayed away. However, those who have watched it are saying it’s a film that can be enjoyed with the family.The biggest challenge was that we didn’t have enough time to convince the censor board or approach the Revision Committee. We respect the censor board and cannot comment on other films. In our case, even after implementing the cuts they suggested, the film still received an ‘A’ certificate.
Audiences who have watched the film say they faced no discomfort and have appreciated it. The audience’s feedback has been completely different from the censor board’s assessment.There is a communication gap between filmmakers and the censor board. I believe the Telugu film industry should have an official representative to coordinate with the censor authorities. Such a representative would help improve communication and benefit both small and big films alike.Although we didn’t achieve the opening we had hoped for, the collections have been increasing day by day. Everyone who watches the film is speaking positively about it. This positive word-of-mouth is spreading rapidly, and theatres are witnessing better occupancy with every show.
We are confident that the film will gain even more momentum next week. The scenes we expected audiences to enjoy are receiving exactly the kind of response we anticipated. Even from the premiere shows, we noticed audiences connecting with those moments. Aravind garu also thoroughly enjoyed the film after watching it.We have reduced the ticket prices to make the film more accessible. Tickets are now priced at ₹100 in single-screen theatres and ₹105 in PVR cinemas. We hope this encourages more audiences to watch the film. We are currently working on two new projects. One is an exciting superhero film that will present a completely fresh superhero concept in Telugu cinema with full-fledged entertainment. The script is currently under development. We are also planning another interesting love story.
