Director Srinivas Manne, who earlier impressed critics with Katha starring Genelia, returns after a brief gap with his new horror thriller “Eesha.” The film is presented by successful producers Bunny Vass and Vamsi Nandipati, who recently delivered cult hits like Little Hearts and Raju Weds Rambhaai. Under the banners of Vamsi Nandipati Entertainments and Bunny Vass Works, the movie is set for a grand theatrical release on December 12.
The film features Trigun and Akhil Raj in lead roles, with Hebbah Patel as the female lead. Siri Hanumanthu, Babloo, and Prithviraj play other key roles. The film is produced by Hem Venkateswara Rao under HVR Productions, with presentation by noted producer KL Damodar Prasad.
Speaking about the film’s highlights in a media interaction today, producer KL Damodar Prasad shared:
• “As a producer, I had a small gap after my previous film Father Chitti Umaa Kaarthik, which didn’t reach the audience as expected despite strong content. While discussing new stories, director Srinivas Manne narrated Eesha to me. It felt interesting and compelling, so I decided to take it up.”
• “Srinivas Manne handled everything personally for Eesha. I believe in his talent—he is a passionate filmmaker who works extremely hard. Sometimes the industry doesn’t give enough recognition to hardworking directors, but he has delivered a solid film. I watched the movie two to three times during post-production, and I’m confident the audience will connect strongly.”
• “Horror thrillers often rely on heavy drama and cinematic liberties. Eesha also takes some cinematic liberty, but by the end, it gives a personal and realistic emotional impact. The audience will step out of the theatres feeling that realism.”
• “Trigun, Hebbah Patel, and Akhil Raj performed exceptionally well. In this genre, the cast must align perfectly with the characters—otherwise the film suffers. All main leads are impressive. Trigun and Hebbah have not received the recognition they deserve recently, and this film will be significant for them. Akhil Raj, who recently scored a hit with Raju Weds Rambhaai, also adds strength to our film. Prithviraj’s character will be another major highlight.”
• “For horror thrillers, visuals and sound design must be top-notch. Both these aspects have come out very well in Eesha. The film has two songs sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Shankar Mahadevan. I was very particular about the music and insisted that they sing these tracks.”
• “Initially, no one knew I was working on this project. I trusted Srinivas Manne’s vision completely, and once I believe in someone, I give them full responsibility. I rarely visit the sets. Post-lockdown, the cinema business has changed drastically. Producers must step out of their comfort zones to achieve success.”
• “There were days our banner produced three to four films a year, but the situation today is very different. What happened with Akhanda 2 is something several films have faced in recent years. These issues must be resolved by the respective producers; there isn’t much the industry or producer council can do.”
