The makers of Agadha, directed by veteran filmmaker M.S. Raju, held a grand pre-release event ahead of the film’s worldwide release on August 14. Produced by Kashi Visalakshi Balusu under the Sri Adi Varaha Productions banner and presented by Ajay KR, the horror thriller stars Kamakshi Bhaskarla, Shravan Reddy, Ulka Gupta, Jovika Vijaykumar, Bhanu Chander, Shiju, Vanitha Vijaykumar, Roshan Basheer, Shreya Rani Reddy, Viva Raghava, Robert Master, Arna Muller and Kanakavva in key roles. The event was attended by noted producer Shyam Prasad Reddy, veteran director B. Gopal, filmmakers Sai Rajesh, SKN, Polimera director Anil Vishwanath and several members of the cast and crew.
Veteran producer Shyam Prasad Reddy spoke emotionally about his four-decade-long friendship with M.S. Raju. He recalled that both of them came from film families and began their journeys under legendary director Kodi Ramakrishna. Calling M.S. Raju one of the most passionate producers in Telugu cinema, he said Raju mastered every aspect of filmmaking and eventually became a trendsetter himself. He remembered how Raju delivered blockbuster after blockbuster during Sankranti, earning titles such as “Sankranti Raju” and “Unstoppable Raju.” After watching the visuals and editing of Agadha, Shyam Prasad Reddy expressed confidence that the film would offer much more than a conventional horror experience. He praised the casting and compared the impression Kamakshi Bhaskarla created in the film to the feeling he had when he first saw Anushka in Arundhati. He urged audiences to watch the film only in theatres for the best experience.
Director M.S. Raju thanked everyone who supported his journey, especially producers Kashi Visalakshi and Ajay KR. He said the teaser and trailer had already introduced audiences to the film, leaving little more for him to reveal. Comparing the film to a “Super Over” in cricket, he explained that every scene was designed to keep audiences engaged. He praised both the technical crew and actors for pushing each other to deliver their best performances and expressed complete confidence that Agadha would become a blockbuster. Raju also jokingly wished that the producers would earn huge profits and share some of them with him. He confidently announced that the team would celebrate the film’s success with a success meet after its release.
Director Sai Rajesh, who worked as an assistant director under M.S. Raju for two years, described the filmmaker as his biggest teacher in screenplay writing. He said Raju’s passion for cinema had always inspired him and that success or failure never changed his dedication. Having watched both Origin of Agadha and the film’s trailer, Sai Rajesh expressed confidence that the movie would become a major success and called M.S. Raju a true “King Maker.”
Producer SKN said it was an achievement for him to attend an event for an M.S. Raju film. Recalling the era when audiences would watch movies simply because M.S. Raju’s name appeared on the poster, he celebrated the filmmaker’s remarkable contributions as both producer and director. Referring to films like Okkadu, Varsham, Police Lockup and Devi, SKN said Raju had consistently delivered memorable cinema. He added that Agadha appears to blend horror with strong emotional and commercial elements. SKN also praised Kamakshi Bhaskarla for choosing substantial roles over screen time and appreciated Shravan Reddy’s performance. He wished debut producers Kashi Visalakshi and Ajay KR success for backing such a bold project.
Veteran director B. Gopal described M.S. Raju and Shyam Prasad Reddy as two of his favourite producers. He recalled that Raju had accurately predicted the blockbuster success of Samarasimha Reddy, highlighting his instinct for identifying winning stories. Calling him a courageous producer and talented writer, B. Gopal said Agadha looked highly promising based on its teaser and trailer and deserved to be experienced on the big screen.
Director Anil Vishwanath revealed that he had been involved in the story discussions for Agadha but was intentionally kept away from the climax. After watching the completed film, he described the climax as futuristic, shocking and completely unexpected. He praised M.S. Raju’s screenplay, saying the visuals elevated the story far beyond what he had imagined during narration. Anil also applauded Kamakshi Bhaskarla’s career-best performance, saying she dominates the film from beginning to end. He praised Shravan Reddy, Jovika Vijaykumar, the supporting cast, cinematography and Rakesh Venkatapuram’s music, predicting that audiences would be talking about the film long after its release.
Producer Lagadapati Sridhar said he had immense respect for both M.S. Raju and Shyam Prasad Reddy and hoped Agadha would mark a successful comeback for Raju. He expressed confidence that the film had the potential to become a cult classic.
Lead actress Kamakshi Bhaskarla called Agadha the most important film of her career. She revealed that she returned to India nine years ago with dreams of becoming an actress and said opportunities for Telugu actresses to play central female-led roles are rare. She thanked M.S. Raju for trusting her with such a powerful character and said she would always remain grateful to him. Kamakshi also emotionally acknowledged the sacrifices made by her family and expressed hope that audiences would reward the team’s hard work with their love.
Hero Shravan Reddy said his acting career began in Hindi before M.S. Raju noticed him in a web series and cast him in Dirty Hari. He thanked the director once again for giving him a layered and performance-oriented role in Agadha. Shravan said the film offers a rich visual experience and hoped audiences would support it during the long Independence Day weekend.
Actor Gagan praised M.S. Raju’s contributions as both producer and director and hoped Agadha would become a major success. He also wished Shravan Reddy would receive a breakthrough with the film and appreciated Kamakshi Bhaskarla’s growing popularity.
Producer Kashi Visalakshi Balusu thanked M.S. Raju and the entire team for their commitment throughout the project. She said the teaser and trailer had already received encouraging responses and expressed confidence that the film would succeed upon release. She even joked that M.S. Raju would soon be known as “Agadha Raju” after witnessing his dedication during production.
Actress Jovika Vijaykumar expressed happiness about being part of the film and requested audiences to support Agadha in theatres.
Actor Shiju fondly recalled receiving his first call from M.S. Raju in 1996 and credited him for changing his Telugu film career through films like Devi and Manasantha Nuvve. He described Raju as his godfather in Telugu cinema and expressed confidence in Agadha‘s success.
Actress Vanitha Vijaykumar remembered performing difficult devotional sequences in Devi and said Agadha also contains several memorable scenes that audiences would enjoy.
Veteran actor Bhanu Chander described Agadha as a story about the battle between good and evil. He said the film’s scale and atmosphere make it a perfect theatrical experience and hoped it would become a milestone in M.S. Raju’s career.
Music director Rakesh Venkatapuram said working with M.S. Raju fulfilled one of his biggest dreams and hoped audiences would enjoy the film’s music.
Editor Junaid Siddiqui remarked that films like Agadha arrive only once in a decade. He praised the music, cinematography and overall technical quality, saying viewers would leave impressed.
Additional screenplay writer Chaitanya Vegi said working with a legendary filmmaker like M.S. Raju was a memorable experience and expressed confidence that the team’s work would receive widespread appreciation after release.
Production designer Rajeev Nair, who had previously collaborated with M.S. Raju on Okkadu and Vaana, said he was delighted to reunite with him and believed Agadha would achieve great success.
Cinematographer Nani Chamidishetty thanked M.S. Raju, Kashi Visalakshi and Ajay KR for trusting him with the project.
Executive producer NVN Subbaraju said the team was proud to have completed the film successfully and hoped audiences would embrace it.
Actress Ulka Gupta said she was eagerly waiting for the film’s release and requested audiences to watch it on August 14.
Actress Arna Muller, who plays Kamakshi Bhaskarla’s sister in the film, thanked the makers for giving her an important role and hoped audiences would appreciate the film.
Actor Roshan Basheer said he thoroughly enjoyed working with the team and looked forward to seeing audience reactions after release.
With strong endorsements from industry veterans, emotional speeches from the cast, and unanimous praise for M.S. Raju’s vision, Agadha heads into its August 14 theatrical release carrying high expectations from both the industry and moviegoers.
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