శ్రీశైలం ప్రాజెక్టుకు భారీగా చేరుకుంటున్న వరద | Srisailam

Once upon a time, Telugu cinema was often looked at dismissively by other film industries, regardless of how many super hits Tollywood delivered. That perception has completely changed today. The turning point came with Baahubali, which dramatically elevated the stature of Telugu cinema across India. Since then, several pan-India films from Tollywood have followed, steadily expanding its reach and influence.

After RRR, Telugu cinema’s global standing rose to an entirely new level. The film’s international acclaim, capped by an Oscar win, drew worldwide attention to Tollywood. As a result, stars and technicians from other industries are now keen to collaborate with Telugu directors. With this growing prestige, filmmakers are aiming to mount their projects on a much grander scale than ever before.

Budgets, in particular, have become far more flexible. Producers are no longer hesitant to spend big if it means enhancing the film’s scale and appeal. From casting to technicians to production design, there is little compromise, and in many cases, producers are spending even more than what directors initially ask for. This pursuit of a “rich” cinematic experience has naturally led to soaring budgets.

Against this backdrop, The Paradise, starring Natural Star Nani and directed by Srikanth Odela, has become a major talking point. Coming after the success of Dasara, expectations around the Nani–Srikanth Odela combination are sky-high. True to those expectations, Srikanth Odela is reportedly sparing no expense in bringing The Paradise to life.

Industry buzz suggests that the film’s budget has already crossed ₹200 crore and could climb even higher by the time shooting wraps up, making it the most expensive film of Nani’s career. The scale of spending is evident from the casting itself, with Collection King Mohan Babu roped in as the antagonist, and massive investments being made in sets and production design.

Despite Nani enjoying a strong run of successes, recovering such a huge budget purely on his market power does involve a degree of risk. Yet, the makers seem unconcerned, pouring in whatever the film demands. Whether this confidence is well-placed or borders on overconfidence remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: The Paradise is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious projects in Nani’s career and a reflection of how far Telugu cinema has come.