Gargi Gupta
Actor, producer and entrepreneur Rana Daggubati has built a career of constant reinvention. Known for immersive performances and a sharp understanding of the business of cinema, Daggubati continues to expand his footprint beyond the screen, working across acting, production and conversations around technology and storytelling.
The actor was in Bengaluru on Saturday, along with singer Anirudh Ravichander and entrepreneur Harsha Vadlamadi, for the launch of Loca Loka, a premium 100 per cent agave tequila, positioning the city as their brand’s new key market after its rollout in the US, Southeast Asia, Delhi and Mumbai. Explaining the choice, Daggubati points to Bengaluru’s cultural pull. “It has a certain cool, a young energy that no other city really brings,” he says.
While entrepreneurship adds another dimension to his profile, cinema remains central to Daggubati’s identity. Speaking about the physical and mental demands of his work, he shares that ‘transformation has become a real-time, full-time job,’ one that comes with the territory of contemporary filmmaking rather than being an exception to it. “I wouldn’t call it hard. It is the job,” the 41-year-old explains, noting that preparation today extends far from shooting schedules. For him, these shifts are intrinsic to storytelling rather than a burden. “If you’re doing a Baahubali and killing a bison, you have to look the part. If not, you look like this,” he laughs, gesturing to himself off set.
As someone who has also emerged as one of the industry’s articulate voices on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in cinema, he reiterates his views at the event. “There’s a misconception that AI will just do everything by itself, while humans sit back and watch. That’s not how it works. It’s an efficiency tool,” asserts Daggubati, pushing back against the fear that AI will replace human creativity. According to him, AI has the potential to significantly shorten filmmaking timelines. “If a film currently takes 100 days to shoot, we could probably do it in 30,” he says, further comparing its impact to 3D printing in construction, “You don’t need to transport materials anymore. You can create them from wherever you are. That’s what AI is beginning to do for entertainment.”
At the same time, Daggubati remains clear about where technology ends and human storytelling begins. Through his production house, Spirit Media, built solely for indie movies, he champions independent cinema with a focus on human-centric narratives.
In a world increasingly shaped by technology, Daggubati believes authenticity will only gain value, as he feels “there will be stories that are deeply human that cut across languages and cultures. Those are the ones that will matter more.” On his work front, Daggubati remained tight-lipped about his upcoming projects; however, he hinted at a major announcement in the pipeline, signalling that whether in cinema, technology or entrepreneurship, his next chapter is already taking shape.