The first time Sonali Kulkarni dropped the director's name on the sets of The Paradise, the crew didn't just look at her. They stared. It was a cultural whiplash. In the Tollywood ecosystem, Srikanth Odela is simply 'Director Sir'.
This rigid propriety extends to the lead. Nani, the man who built his empire from the ground up as an assistant director, is addressed exclusively as 'Hero Sir'. Kulkarni notes that not a single person on set, not even the assistant directors, deviated from this protocol. It’s a sign of immense respect for the craft, where the director’s word is effectively the last word.
For an actor moving across languages, the barrier is rarely just the words. It’s the flow. Kulkarni admits that learning Telugu was a different beast compared to her earlier foray into Tamil. In Hindi or Marathi, you can parse the individual words even if the grammar is foreign. In Telugu, the words merge so rapidly that articulation becomes a physical challenge. She credits her team of coaches for helping her master that specific linguistic rhythm.
Nani, meanwhile, proved to be a grounding force. Despite the massive fandom that follows him, Kulkarni found him collaborative and punctual. He never questioned a retake and actively helped her navigate the language barrier during their scenes. It’s a testament to his roots; he remembers the days of struggling and values the discipline that brought him here.
The Paradise, set in the gritty slums, pits Nani’s tribal leader Jadal against Raghav Juyal’s Vikram Maalik. It releases in theatres on September 24, 2026, promising a raw, period-action experience that relies heavily on this disciplined, respectful set dynamic.