He brought a refreshing twist to Tollywood with his breakout film Cinema Bandi and now with Subham. Filmmaker Praveen Kandregula is known for weaving everyday life into stories with heart and realism. An engineer by degree but a storyteller at soul, his passion for cinema was sparked way back in his school days. In an exclusive chat with CE, he opens up about his journey, inspirations, and everything in between.
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Tell us about your film Subham.
Raj Nidimoru sir, the creative producer, called me. By then, they had already developed quite a bit. I was busy with my next film Paradha when I got the offer. Once my shoot was wrapped, my direction department and I began working together on the script. We spent about six months on it.
We had a dedicated script room, with colourful posters and a big flowchart pinned across the walls — just full of ideas. Raj sir’s guidance really helped us during this phase. We also did a lot of auditions.
How was Samantha’s first production experience for you?
It was beautiful. She wanted to make a clean, classy comedy. She was involved in the script, and we had workshops with her. She gave some great inputs to the actors — on how to perform, how to deliver certain emotions. It was a very personal film for her. She wanted to share a beautiful message about husband-wife relationships, conveyed in a subtle, organic way. She’s also very chill as a producer — happy on set, and gives us the creative freedom we need. Our mindsets matched, even during scripting and editing stages. She was involved in everything. Definitely one of the coolest producers I’ve worked with.
You studied engineering. How did you get interested in cinema? Was it a planned shift or something you always wanted?
I started making short films before engineering — back in school, around 7th grade. We had a small camera. Cinema has always been a part of my life. After engineering, I joined a film institute and studied filmmaking professionally. I did cinematography for two films and also ran an ad agency for about 10 years, travelling a lot for work. Directing Cinema Bandi was my first big break. I always knew I wanted to do cinema. Even during engineering, I wanted to drop out in my second year. But my parents asked me to complete it. Still, my heart was always in cinema.
Who inspired you?
Mani Ratnam. His films were my biggest inspiration. After watching them, I knew I wanted to be in this industry. He’s my guru, my tutor — everything.
Your films like Cinema Bandi are very close to reality. But Mani Ratnam’s style is quite different. How do you merge the two?
My upcoming film Paradha is more in Mani Ratnam’s style. I’m dedicating it to him. You’ll see his influence when you watch it.
What’s your goal in filmmaking? Some make films for entertainment, some to convey deeper messages. What drives you?
I want to explore all kinds of films. Cinema Bandi and Subham were comedies. Paradha is serious, not much comedy in it. I want to do action films too. I don’t want to stick to one genre — I like experimenting.
If not films, what would you have done?
I’d travel a lot. Cinema will always be a part of my life, but I like exploring other things too — learning guitar. I don’t just want to study cinema. Life balance is important for me.
What is your creative process for scriptwriting?
It’s very collaborative. I work with my direction team, and actors come on board after the first draft and give their inputs. It’s not a one-man process. I love that about filmmaking.
Do you face creative blocks?
Definitely. When we’re stuck in a script, we fight, we argue, we go through it together. Sometimes we sit for days or months. We have our dialogue versions pasted on walls. Every 10 minutes of the film needs a new element, a new shift. Writing scripts is a big challenge. It takes time and effort.
How did your life change after your first break?
I started getting more offers. More people got to know me. But I want to be very specific about my filmography. I don’t want to rush. I’m waiting for the right script, right platform, right people. I’ve been part of a few ‘first productions’ — Samantha’s, Raj & DK’s and now Paradha with Ananda Media. It feels special every time. I also definitely want to do a commercial film. Not necessarily five songs and five fights, but proper action with commercial appeal. If the story demands it, I’ll do it. I’ve grown up watching Pokiri and Mahesh Babu films. I’d love to do something like that.
What do you do in your free time?
I watch films, travel, eat a lot, (laughs) and spend time with my wife. We have a small dog. I also run a food page on Instagram. I love food, especially Asian and street food. I go to Charminar often. I like sushi, momos, and the Seven Sisters platter. I also cycle a lot — especially on the Hyderabad metro cycling track. Lately, I’m learning guitar. I try to read books, but I struggle with that. (laughs)
Any other projects in the pipeline?
Paradha is my next project. The announcement will be in July.