Jun 26, 2026 7:38pm IST
‘Maa Inti Bangaaram’ Director Nandini Reddy: ‘Samantha Ruth Prabhu Has Delivered A Career-Best Performance’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Familiarity breeds a ₹50 crore hit in four days flat. That’s something director B. V. Nandini Reddy will attest to. She has collaborated with Samantha Ruth Prabhu twice before the recently released “Maa Inti Bangaaram”: In “Oh! Baby” (2019) and “Jabardasth” (2013). Known for her signature style of blending heartfelt family drama, light-hearted humour, and rooted human emotions, she has established herself as one of the few commercially successful female filmmakers in Tollywood. In an exclusive interview with Variety India, she talks about how things have been in the wake of the film’s success.
How are you taking in the success of ‘Maa Inti Bangaaram’?
We are just extremely grateful as a team for everything that has been unfolding. The fact that people actually understood everything we tried to say is very, very gratifying. Samantha has always been a much-loved star and to see her celebrated all over again, makes us very happy.
You have worked with Samantha before. How much has she evolved?
She has been constantly evolving as an artist because that’s how she is. She is always learning, always honing and fine-tuning herself. That is her USP as an actor. She has delivered one of her best performances in this film and we understood that as we were making it. I am so glad that everyone resonated with it as well.
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Her success at the box-office comes with news of her pregnancy. How are the two of you celebrating?
I think everything that is happening…it’s still sinking in. We are waiting to celebrate with the team soon. On a day-to-day basis, we are slowly settling into our daily household routines. I have been ordering my groceries and cleaning up cupboards. Of course, we chat occasionally throughout the day with each other as well. Her pregnancy comes at such a beautiful time and we are so happy that the baby is part of this beautiful journey. I certainly will have stories to tell him/her.
Would it be easier for you to get the finances to make films the way you want to?
Every success comes with that bonus. But like Spider-Man said, ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ I would always like to tell stories that engage and entertain. The story will decide who it’s led by. That’s how I have always worked.
Your film turns the masculine regime of Telugu/Hindi cinema on its head by making the female lead the gun-wielding avenger. Do you see the irony in the role-reversal?
Action films led by women have a long history in Telugu cinema. Vijayashanti Garu has one of the greatest chapters in that story. Simply doing action films is not the trick. The story, the way it is told, etc and how it connects, will make the difference.
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