The pre-release event of Agadha, directed by M. S. Raju, witnessed strong appreciation from several prominent personalities of the Telugu film industry. With the film gearing up for a grand worldwide theatrical release on August 14, the guests praised its screenplay, performances, visuals, music and theatrical appeal, while expressing confidence that it offers more than a conventional horror film.
Shyam Prasad Reddy who made iconic Arundhathi recalled his nearly 45-year association with M. S. Raju and praised him as a passionate producer and trendsetter with a strong grip over every craft. He said Agadha will not be limited to being just a horror film, praised the visuals and editing, and compared the feeling he got watching Kamakshi Bhaskarla to what he experienced when he first saw Anushka during Arundhati.
M. S. Raju thanked Kasi Visalakshi Balusu, Ajay KR and the entire team, saying he made Agadha like a “super over” rather than simply relying on a last-over finish. He expressed confidence that the film will become a blockbuster with the blessings of the Goddess.
Sai Rajesh recalled learning screenplay writing while working as an assistant director under Raju and called him a true “kingmaker” after watching Origin of Agadha and the trailer. He wished the film a big success.
SKN praised Raju’s legacy and said whether he comes as a producer or director, “Raju is Raju.” He said the teaser and trailer suggest that Agadha has elements beyond horror and praised Kamakshi, Shravan Reddy and the producers for taking a daring step.
B. Gopal praised Raju’s judgement of stories and recalled how he predicted Samarasimha Reddy would become a blockbuster after hearing its story. He described Raju as a courageous producer with a great writer within him and expressed confidence in Agadha saying it’ll be bigger hit than Devi.
Lagadapati Sridhar said M. S. Raju and Shyam Prasad Reddy are among his favourite producers and expressed hope that Agadha marks a strong comeback for Raju as a director. He wished the film to become a cult classic.
Anil Viswanath who made acclaimed films like Polimera 1,2 and 3 said he knew Agadha from its writing stage and, after watching the film, described its climax as surprising, shocking and futuristic. He particularly praised Kamakshi’s full-length performance, Shravan Reddy, Jovika Vijay Kumar, the visuals and Rakesh Venkatapuram’s music.
Kamakshi Bhaskarla thanked M. S. Raju for trusting her with the female lead and central character, saying he laid the foundation for her career. She said the team made the film with great love and hoped audiences would return that affection.
Shravan Reddy recalled that Raju first cast him in Dirty Hari after noticing him in a web series and has now given him another opportunity in Agadha.
Kasi Visalakshi Balusu said the teaser and trailer received a good response and expressed confidence about the August 14 release. She praised Raju’s dedication on the sets and said his hard work convinced her that Agadha would become a hit.
With every speaker expressing confidence in the film, Agadha has generated strong anticipation ahead of its August 14 release.
The film is being presented as a supernatural drama blending horror, divine elements, good-versus-evil conflict, layered writing and a strong theatrical experience.
Written and directed by M. S. Raju, Agadha is produced by Kasi Visalakshi Balusu under the Sri Adi Varaha Productions banner and is presented by Ajay KR. The film is simultaneously being made in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi.
The technical team comprises Rakesh Venkatapuram as the music composer, Nani Chamidishetty as the cinematographer, Junaid Siddiqui as the editor and Rajeev Nair as the production designer. Chaitanya Vege has provided the additional screenplay, while NVN Subbaraju serves as the executive producer.
