As his debut directorial Deewana gears up for a worldwide theatrical release on June 19, director Sreekanth Sangishetty shared an emotional and inspiring account of his filmmaking journey during a media interaction Today. Starring Harshith Reddy and introducing Smeha Manimegalai as the female lead, the film is produced by Vasudev Koppineni and Sridevi Karyampudi under the Arha Media and V Studios banners, with distribution by Geetha Film Distributors.
Speaking to the media, Sreekanth revealed that his passion for cinema began long before Deewana took shape. After working as an assistant on the National Award-winning film Minugurulu nearly a decade ago, he spent several years in the corporate sector while continuing to nurture his dream of becoming a filmmaker. Despite holding a full-time job, he remained deeply connected to cinema, spending his free time writing stories, making short films, and studying filmmaking through movies and interviews.
The director candidly admitted that he never received formal training in filmmaking. Instead, he learned by watching films and analyzing storytelling techniques. While working long hours in the corporate world, he constantly found himself thinking about cinema and dreaming of creating stories that audiences would remember. According to him, filmmaking was the only thing that truly excited him, and that passion eventually pushed him to pursue his dream seriously.
Sreekanth revealed that the idea for Deewana emerged from a simple observation. One day, while watching a television anchor on Gemini TV, he wondered what would happen if a complete stranger decided to approach and meet her. That single thought gradually evolved into a story filled with romance, emotions, and human relationships. Believing the idea had both emotional depth and commercial appeal, he began developing it into a full-length screenplay.
The writing process, however, was anything but quick. The filmmaker said he has always made it a habit to write down ideas immediately, fearing they might disappear. Once the basic story was ready, he spent months developing characters and refining the narrative. Deewana went through nearly ten drafts, with the earliest version written almost twelve years ago. Every narration brought fresh feedback, leading to further improvements. After years of revisions and polishing, the script finally reached its present form.
According to Sreekanth, the emotional core of Deewana is its biggest strength. While the film revolves around one-sided love, he emphasized that it is much more than a conventional romance. The first half follows the hero’s energetic and open pursuit of the heroine, while the second half explores the emotional complexities of love from a different perspective. He believes audiences who enjoy love stories, family emotions, and friendship-driven narratives will strongly connect with the film.
The director also reflected on the struggle of finding an opportunity in the industry. He recalled approaching producer Allu Aravind with the script after years of waiting for a chance. Despite initial hurdles, he eventually narrated Deewana and received a positive response. That approval marked a major turning point in his career and helped transform a long-standing dream into reality.
Sharing details about the production, Sreekanth said the film features six songs and three action sequences. Working within budget limitations required significant adjustments, but he credited his team and cast for helping him complete the project effectively. Though the original schedule demanded more shooting days, the team managed to finish the film while retaining its emotional essence.
Speaking about lead actor Harshith Reddy, the director expressed confidence in his performance and described Deewana as a film made for audiences of all age groups. He said the story may remind viewers of the sincerity and emotional depth seen in classic love stories, while still offering a fresh cinematic experience for today’s generation.
During the interaction, Sreekanth also praised the talent present in the film industry, noting that many writers and music directors possess extraordinary abilities. He spoke fondly about music director Eswar, who worked closely with him during the film’s development. The director recalled how their creative partnership evolved from simple demo compositions to the final soundtrack that eventually received appreciation from the production team.
Looking ahead, Sreekanth said he has several ambitious stories waiting to be told. Many of them, he revealed, are larger in scale and require advanced technical execution. For now, however, his focus remains on Deewana, a film that represents years of persistence, sacrifice, and belief in a dream that refused to fade away.
With its blend of romance, emotions, music, and relatable characters, Deewana is set to arrive in theatres worldwide on June 19, carrying the hopes of a filmmaker whose journey to the big screen has been as compelling as the story he has chosen to tell.
The post Deewana Director Opens Up on a 12-Year Dream Behind His Love Story appeared first on TeluguBulletin.com.
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