Srikanth Odela pens emotional birthday note to Nani, praises trust in The Paradise
Hyderabad: Director Srikanth Odela penned an emotional note of gratitude to actor Nani on the occasion of the latter's birthday, expressing deep appreciation for the trust and creative freedom he received while working on their upcoming film The Paradise. Taking to X, Odela reflected on the actor's unwavering support throughout the making of the film. He wrote that every time Nani told him "Ni istam Srikanth" (It is your wish, Srikanth), he interpreted it as "I trust you Srikanth". The director admitted that this trust both inspired and pressured him to pour his "blood and soul" into the project.
In his heartfelt post, Odela acknowledged that he had broken several of Nani's established filmmaking patterns. He stated that he altered the actor's working day structure, disrupted his release date streak, experimented with his performance style and challenged his established approach to cinema. "Each time I broke you, you built me," Odela wrote, crediting Nani for shaping his journey and believing in him like no one else had. The director further revealed the extent of the actor's cooperation.
He shared that when he asked Nani to sport braids for the role, the actor agreed without hesitation. When he suggested a controversial slur as a tattoo for authenticity, Nani consented. Even after multiple retakes during shoots, the actor remained supportive, responding with the same words of trust. Odela admitted he had never directly expressed these feelings to Nani before but felt compelled to do so publicly on his birthday.
He added that he continues to search for the deeper meaning behind the actor's constant show of faith and hopes to find those answers through the journey of The Paradise. The collaboration between Odela and Nani has already generated significant buzz among fans and industry observers. The duo previously worked together on Dasara, which marked Odela's directorial debut. The film received critical acclaim and emerged as a major box office success, crossing the ₹100 crore mark worldwide.
The Paradise has since become one of the most anticipated upcoming releases. Adding to the excitement, Bollywood actor Raghav Juyal is also part of the cast. Raghav, who has been gaining recognition for his recent performances, has reportedly undergone a significant transformation for his role in the film. The film is slated for a grand theatrical release on August 21 this year and will be released in eight languages -- Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, English, Spanish, Bengali, Kannada and Malayalam -- signalling its pan-Indian and international ambitions.
With strong expectations riding on it after the success of Dasara, The Paradise is shaping up to be a landmark project in Nani and Srikanth Odela's careers.