There are high expectations surrounding Shambhala, starring Aadi Saikumar in the lead. Everything released so far—teasers, trailers, posters, and songs—has created strong buzz among audiences. The film is set for a grand release on December 25. Marking his birthday, on December 23rd, Aadi Saikumar interacted with the media and shared many details about Shambhala. Here’s what he had to say:
Shambhala has generated strong buzz. What do you say about the growing expectations?
Shambhala has turned out really well. I’m confident the audience will like our film. I believe everyone will enjoy watching it.
There’s a lot of competition on December 25. You also share a close family bond with Srikanth garu. How do you view this competition?
Christmas and December 25 are a great season for films. We share a very good bonding with Srikanth garu’s family. I know Roshan well—he’s very active in our cricket team. I sincerely wish his film Champion also becomes a big hit.
Every piece of content from Shambhala has gone viral. You seem very confident about the film?
From the moment the first still was released, the buzz started building. The teaser and trailers launched by Dulquer garu, Prabhas garu, and Nani garu received an excellent response. There’s strong buzz among audiences, and we’re confident this time we’re heading towards a solid success.
For a film like Shambhala, action sequences and costumes must be very important, right?
Absolutely. Shambhala has some stunning action sequences. Raj Kumar Master conducted rehearsals for all the action scenes and worked closely with director Ugandhar. The climax action sequence is going to be a real highlight. Since the story is set in the 1980s, we were very careful about the looks, which is why the costumes were chosen very selectively.
Tell us about the VFX in Shambhala
There aren’t too many VFX shots in the film, but whatever we have done was executed very carefully. We’re extremely satisfied with the output. We were all shocked after listening to Sricharan Pakala’s background score. He never settles easily and kept refining the themes till the very last moment. He has given a brilliant theme to every character.
Tell us about songs and BGM of the movie
Shambhala doesn’t have many songs. We initially planned a promotional song, but time didn’t permit. Also, for films in this genre, songs and hook steps may not really fit. However, the background score by Sricharan Pakala is outstanding. The background score takes the film to the next level. After watching the movie, everyone will definitely talk about the background music.
Do you know about ‘Shambhala’ from our mythology?
No one really knows whether Shambhala truly exists or not. But according to our mythology, Shambhala has a significant identity. I was very excited the moment I heard the title. A few days after I heard this story, Kalki was released, and after that, the name Shambhala started trending even more.
We heard you got injured during the shoot?
No matter how careful you are, injuries can happen during shooting. I had a minor injury during a fire sequence. Injuries during action scenes are quite common.
These days, audiences are watching more films on OTT than in theatres. What’s your take?
Today’s audience wants a great cinematic experience, and they’re enjoying films from such genres more. Every poster and every piece of content released by our team has increased expectations. Our producers spared no expense and made the film on a grand scale without compromising anywhere. The promotions have also been very impactful. Films like Shambhala can truly be enjoyed only when watched in theatres.
Your mother’s dialogue at the event went viral. What do you say about that?
I share a very close bond with my mother. She has never spoken like that at home. Even I was shocked when she delivered that dialogue at the event.
How was your journey with director Ugandhar for Shambhala?
Ugandhar is extremely passionate about cinema. I really like his first film. He worked very hard on this story and has presented exactly what he envisioned on screen. He will definitely become a big director.
How was the support from the producers?
The producers made Shambhala with immense passion. We ensured there was no wastage at any point. They spent more than what my market usually commands and also carried out promotions on a large scale. There’s tough competition on this date, but we worked very hard on the film. We’ve already seen the final output and are very satisfied. We’re also planning a Hindi version—first we’ll release here, and after positive talk, we’ll begin Hindi promotions.
With so much competition on December 25, did you consider changing the release date?
If we had let go of December 25, I didn’t see another date this good in the near future. We’re coming with premieres, and they’re already receiving a good response. If positive talk comes out from the premieres, the film will pick up from day one. But yes, the competition is tough.
How different is your character in Shambhala from your real-life personality? Do you believe in superstitions?
I don’t really have strong superstitions. I believe in a few small things and follow the sentiments practiced at home.
What challenges did you face during the shoot?
We shot Shambhala mostly during nights in extremely cold conditions. The entire climax was filmed in night shoots. No matter how difficult it was, we all worked together with passion.
Tell us about the characters in the film.
All the characters in Shambhala are well written. Archana’s character travels along with me throughout the story, and her role will definitely impress everyone.
Will there be a Shambhala Part 2?
If the audience makes Shambhala a hit, we’ll definitely plan Part 2 (laughs).
What are your upcoming projects?
I’ve done Sub Inspector Ugandhar for ETV Win. The film has turned out very well, and we’ll be bringing it to the audience very soon.
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