📌 Key Points
- Nandini Reddy believes audience choices are crucial for improving female representation in Telugu films.
- She urges viewers to actively support and promote films they like, especially women-led narratives.
- Her film, ‘Maa Inti Bangaaram,’ grossed ₹95 crore, proving the commercial viability of female-led movies.
- Reddy highlights ‘Barbie’ as an example of how audience support can lead to massive success for woman-centric stories.
Filmmaker Nandini Reddy asserts that the power to transform female representation in Telugu cinema lies solely with the audience. She emphasizes that viewers must actively choose to support and make successful the films that truly resonate with them, thereby influencing industry trends and promoting diverse narratives.
Audience’s Role in Industry Change
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Nandini Reddy says only the audience can bring about change in Telugu cinema when it comes to representing women.
One complaint that often comes up in Telugu cinema is the representation of women. The discourse last month around Janhvi Kapoor’s objectification in Peddi was deafening. Samantha Ruth Prabhu ’s action-driven Maa Inti Bangaaram, which released in the middle of that storm, only put it into sharper focus with the contrast. But this conversation is nothing new.
Maa Inti Bangaaram’s Box Office Statement
While Maa Inti Bangaaram isn’t the norm but an exception in Telugu cinema these days, director Nandini Reddy says change in the industry will come only when it first reaches the audience. She also says her film’s box-office performance is a reminder to Tollywood that women-led films work.
“I keep telling women. If you don’t like what you’re seeing, then when you see something you like, ensure that other people go and watch it. The audience also has to make the effort to go watch the films they like only in theatres. It’s the only way to get better films,” explains Nandini, adding, “When it starts with the audience, then of course the filmmakers will listen. It’s a business at the end of the day, and you have to listen to the customer.”
Learning from Barbie’s Success
The filmmaker also brings up Barbie as an example of how a woman-centric film can do wonders at the box office. “Samantha always said Barbie did so well because the women came out to watch it. And that’s the audience we targeted with Maa Inti Bangaaram. Numbers are numbers, but I think we did something right because women across age groups have turned up at the theatres to have fun,” she rounds off.
Maa Inti Bangaaram was released in theatres on June 19 and has since grossed over ₹ 95 crore worldwide, a record for a female-led Telugu film. Peddi, which was released on June 4, has grossed over ₹ 340 crore.
Ultimately, Nandini Reddy’s message empowers the audience, suggesting their collective viewing choices are the most potent force for change. By championing films like ‘Maa Inti Bangaaram,’ viewers can shape a more inclusive and representative future for Telugu cinema.
