Director

Prasanth Varma

Prasanth Varma is one of Telugu cinema's most innovative voices, and he's been making waves since 2011 with his bold, genre-bending films. The Palakollu-born director really turned heads with *Awe* (2018), a mind-bending thriller that proved he wasn't afraid to experiment, followed by the sci-fi spectacle *Kalki* (2019). But it's *Hanu-Man* (2024) that's become his biggest triumph—a superhero film that not only dominated the box office but also snagged the National Film Award for Best Film in AVGC, putting Indian cinema's VFX work on the global map. What makes Prasanth stand out is his commitment to pushing Telugu cinema into new territory, blending cutting-edge visual storytelling with compelling narratives that don't just follow the rulebook. His filmography—which includes the zombie-action hybrid *Zombie Reddy* (2021)—shows a director who's genuinely invested in elevating the craft. Beyond directing, he's co-founded Scriptsville, an organization dedicated to nurturing screenwriting talent in Telugu cinema, proving he's invested in building the industry's future, not just his own resume. In a landscape where regional cinema is finally getting its due, Prasanth Varma is the kind of visionary steering that conversation forward.