Nagarjuna Says Shiva Gave Him Hero Status’; Re-Release Set for Aug 14

Nagarjuna’s cult classic Shiva, directed by Ram Gopal Varma, is making a grand comeback on August 14, 2025, in a digitally upgraded avatar — with 4K visuals and Dolby Atmos sound.

A landmark film on its 1989 release, Shiva not only propelled Nagarjuna into superstardom but also redefined Indian cinema with its gritty realism and technical brilliance, cementing RGV’s status as a maverick filmmaker.

The re-release, marking Annapurna Studios’ 50th anniversary, will debut in Telugu before hitting Tamil and Hindi screens. Its teaser will be attached to Rajinikanth’s Coolie, which releases the same day. Nagarjuna also plays a pivotal role in Coolie.

Nagarjuna said, “Shiva gave me my iconic hero status and an unforgettable character. Its cult following inspired my brother Venkat Akkineni and me to bring it back in the grandest way possible. This is our gift to the audience who made it legendary, and to a new generation who’ve only seen it online. With 4K visuals and Dolby Atmos, they’ll experience it like never before.”

Ram Gopal Varma added, “It’s surreal that people still remember every scene and character. While the original sound was loved, we’ve redone it completely using advanced AI to convert the mono mix to Dolby Atmos. People have seen Shiva before — but they’ve never felt it the way they will now.”