By the time Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri dropped on ZEE5, its intent was clear—to bridge a region’s forgotten folklore with a modern appetite for twisty, investigative thrillers. Directed by Pradeep Maddali and written by Teja Desraj, the series, set against the layered backdrop of the 1970s Telangana, follows a sharp young detective, Ramakrishna, as he decides to solve a peculiar case of missing men. The series stars Naresh Agastya as the detective and Megha Akash as the mysterious Princess Lakshmi. It is billed as Telangana’s first homegrown detective series.
Pradeep Maddali was immediately drawn to it. “When I first listened to this story, written by Teja Desraj, I felt like it had scope and rootedness,” he says. “I was sure it would connect. I also felt it would be challenging for me to create that world.”
His excitement wasn't just about the setting. “The hero’s characterisation was the first attraction point,” Pradeep explains. “It’s like our own desi Telangana Sherlock Holmes. That felt very new to me when I first heard that line. Also, the series is set in India of the 40s and 70s, which is new for me and felt very challenging and exciting on paper.”
While the appetite for folklore-inspired content has been rising in India, Pradeep sees this as less of a trend and more of a return. “Rooted stories have always worked. It has always been there,” he insists. “When we tell a story based on our folklore, people love watching that. Now, it has multiplied, more because people are consuming a lot of modern international content, right from Korean web shows to Hollywood movies. Let's say, we make a high-class action film, people are already watching them around the globe and they feel that language of storytelling is familiar. So from us, they are craving rooted stories from our soil. They have potential to work well especially in OTT.”
For Pradeep, it’s not just about nostalgia. It’s about identity. “When we bring such rooted tales, strike people's curiosity, take them into that world and make them interact with those characters, they instantly own it. We have been observing the beauty of rooted stories for a long time,” he says. “Telling such a rooted story was important for me.”
Though Vikkatakavi unfolds like a self-contained puzzle, its detective drama ends on the note of a sequel. “It will happen for sure. Last week, I met my producer Ram Talluri sir. He was saying that there are some exciting and bigger plans for the second season. I need to sit along with the writer. Definitely, the second season is going to be more exciting and fresh,” Pradeep confirms.
Before Vikkatakavi, Pradeep honed his craft while working under one of Telugu cinema’s most prominent directors. “I started as an AD to Puri Jagannadh sir from Pawan Kalyan’s Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu and I was there with him for four to five years. I worked as a co-writer also with Puri sir. That was an amazing journey. I saw him bring something from an idea stage to the screen. I learnt the craft with him watching his work on the field,” he recalls.
Pradeep credits his mentor with a precise takeaway. “Clarity of thought. Puri gaaru always knew what he was doing on paper and how he was going to get it on screen. He perfectly translates it. A lot of times, what we write on paper may or may not translate on to the screen. But in his case, he writes tightly and brings it accurately. Clarity of thought is everything for a filmmaker,” he states.
As for what’s next, the director remains guarded but hints at something he hasn't explored before. “It’s too early to say anything. Most likely, in a month we can give more details,” he says. “It’s an exciting drama with some spiritual touch. This genre was explored in the past in our cinema but in these times, this has not been seen. I can’t give more details right now because a big studio from Mumbai is going to back this. So I can only reveal once officially things are out.” Vikkatakavi is currently streaming on ZEE5.