Itlu Arjuna, starring debutant Aniesh, produced by Venky Kudumula and directed by first-time filmmaker Mahesh Uppala, is gearing up for its theatrical release on October 30.
The film’s teaser was unveiled yesterday to a superb response, with Aniesh receiving praise for his effortless performance. The video is also trending on YouTube with over 5 million views, marking an impressive response for a debutant.
Aniesh credited Venky Kudumula as the person who gave him the opportunity to begin his journey.
“Venky Kudumula was the first person who believed that I could pull off this role, and he is the reason this journey started. Thank you so much for the trust. Usually, after watching a movie, we remember the dialogues spoken by the hero. But I believe that after watching this film, you will remember the silence,” he said.
Aniesh also highlighted the action choreography by Dinesh Master, promising a fresh treatment. He showered praise on Anaswara Rajan, calling her the soul of the film and expressing confidence that Telugu audiences would remember her performance as Keerthy.
Speaking about Thaman, he said, “The world of Itlu Arjuna is going to sound really, really beautiful. You guys will hear it on October 30.”
Venky Kudumula explained why he backed Aniesh for the lead role. According to the producer, playing a protagonist without dialogues in a debut film requires considerable confidence.
“If there are no dialogues, everyone will be looking at your face. When Mahesh narrated the story to me, I had already seen Aniesh’s videos and photos, and he looked very interesting. When I narrated the story to him and said, ‘Look, you don’t have any dialogues in this. Is that okay?’ he actually took it as a challenge,” Venky said.
Venky went on to make a strong prediction about Aniesh’s potential.
“This boy will definitely surprise you all. I am saying this very confidently,” he said.
He also recalled how he had earlier placed his faith in Rashmika Mandanna after watching her performance and said he had similarly placed his bet on Aniesh based on what he saw in his performance video.
“Earlier, when I watched the Kannada film Kirik Party and wanted Rashmika as the heroine of my film, I was very confident about her just from watching her performance. From the time I made that film until now, she has become a huge actress and achieved so much.
“Similarly, without looking anywhere else, I placed my bet on Aniesh based solely on the performance video he showed me. I believe he will also become very successful, and I feel proud to introduce him to the Telugu film industry. He has performed the action sequences very well too,” Venky said.
The producer also revealed that director Mahesh Uppala’s journey inspired him. A former software employee, Mahesh reportedly worked as a Rapido rider while developing the script, an experience that eventually influenced the profession of the protagonist in the film.
Venky said Mahesh’s determination and passion convinced him to back the project.