Sep 05, 2026 7:00pm IST
Chiranjeevi, Rajinikanth, Shiva Rajkumar and Nandamuri Balakrishna’s Daughters Choose Production Over Acting
Daughters of stars in South India are venturing into film production of late, with acting not being considered as a vocation of choice anymore. Clearly, their interest lies in managing things from behind the camera. They’ve understood their strengths and have capitalized on their talent with their latest projects. Here’s a look at some of them.
SUSHMITA KONIDELA
DAUGHTER OF: Chiranjeevi
Megastar Chiranjeevi’s elder daughter, Sushmita, transitioned from a costume designer (working on films like “Rangasthalam” (2018) and “Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy” (2019)) to founding the production banner Gold Box Entertainments alongside her husband, Vishnu Prasad. She has produced digital web series like “Shoot Out At Alair” (2020) and feature films like “Shridevi Shobhan Babu” (2023) and expanded her office footprint in Hyderabad while co-producing major projects tied to her family. She co-produced the superhit “Mana ShankaraVaraprasad Garu” earlier this year and is also co-producing the much-delayed “Vishwambhara.”
NIHARIKA KONIDELA
DAUGHTER OF: Nagendra Babu, Chiranjeevi’s brother
Niharika won the National Award for Best Telugu film for “Committee Kurrollu” (2024), her feature production debut with Pink Elephant Pictures. She says, “This film happened because I instantly fell in love with the script. I knew I had to back it. While shooting the film, my director Sadhu Vamsi kept telling me it’s an award-winning film and when that happened, I felt a deep sense of fulfillment.
She is already gearing up for her next production, “Bhari,” a ₹60-crore sports drama by the same director. “I come from a family of stars, so I’m careful to back content that upholds our legacy,” she adds.
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SOUNDARYA RAJINIKANTH
DAUGHTER OF: Rajinikanth
Tamil superstar Rajinikanth’s younger daughter Soundarya officially stepped into film production with the cult comedy, “Goa” (2010) through her banner, Ocher Picture Productions. Later, she made history by directing her father in “Kochadaiiyaan” (2014). She also directed her former brother-in-law Dhanush in the action-drama “Velaiilla Pattadhari 2” 2017. After a brief sabbatical, Soundarya launched her new production company, Zion Films and produced the 2026 hit film, “With Love.” Soundarya is already planning her next film with Abishan Jeevinth.
On the decision to turn producer, Soundarya says, “Production feels like a natural extension of my creative instinct. It gives me the opportunity to nurture an idea, bring the right people together and help a story find its final form. Films endure, and there is something very special about creating work that can continue to live long after its release.”
NIVEDITHA SHIVARAJKUMAR
DAUGHTER OF: Kannada star Shiva Rajkumar
Starting out as a child artiste in her father’s film, “Andaman,” in 1998, Niveditha shares that she pursued academics after that. She adds, “Over the years, I realized I had an aptitude for the business side of things. In 2018, I produced my first TV serial, “Manasa Sarovara,” followed by my web series, “Hate You Romeo,” in 2023. I then moved on to web series. I also wanted to create opportunities for stories and filmmakers that I believe in.” Her debut Kannada film production, “Firefly,” was released last year. “It was a very important film for me irrespective of how it did commercially. But part of being a producer is trusting your product and accepting the outcome, too. Being my first film, I learned a lot about the business. And it gave me a lot of clarity on why I want to make films in the first place,” she says.
ANANDITA SUNDAR
DAUGHTER OF: Tamil actress Kushboo Sundar and director C Sundar
Anandita Sundar served as creative producer on “Double Occupancy,” released earlier this year and will turn executive producer with “Meesaya Murukku 2,” which releases next month. She admits that she thrives on high pressure. “I’m a creative person, but I can’t be creative on demand. My passion lies in cinema, but my talent lies in administration. So, this was the best way of combining both my skills.”
Anandita, who was all set to pursue media production, chanced upon the script of “Double Occupancy,” and was hooked. “I thought I would produce this film after my return from London, two years later, but I got so involved in prep that my mother sat me down and asked me to take a call. She told me to either take two years off and finish my studies or come back and work on the film. I opted for the latter,” she says.
TEJESWINI NANDAMURI MATHUKUMILLI
DAUGHTER OF: Nandamuri Balakrishna
NBK’s younger daughter ventured into production with her father’s hit OTT talk show “Unstoppable with NBK.” She has since moved into feature film production for family projects, “Akhanda 2: Thaandavam” (2025) and her brother Nandamuri Mokshagna Teja’s cinematic debut: “Simbaa.”
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