Akshai Puri is turning producer with the film Next Enti that stars Tamannaah and Sundeep Kishan. Popular Hindi director Kunal Kohli is also making his directorial debut in Telugu with this film.
“Kunal and I discussed the script and we pitched it to Tamannah as a Hindi film. She agreed immediately. The next day, we thought it would be better to make it in Telugu, as Tamannah has a good market in Telugu and is such a big star here,” says Akshai Puri, about the shaping of the Telugu venture.
Akshai Puri
Though director Kunal Kohli doesn’t know Telugu, the actress insisted on him helming the project.
“Tamannaah was very particular that Kunal should direct the Telugu film because he knows the script and will be able to get the right emotions. I too supported her idea and we assured Kunal that we would get a support team to help him,” reveals Akshai.
Next Enti stars Tamannaah and Sundeep Kishan.
Puri feels cinema in India has no language barrier, especially after the success of Baahubali. “The film Baahubali introduced Telugu cinema everywhere and it widened the market. With a high number of Telugu movies being remade in Hindi, now many Hindi filmmakers are looking for Telugu films. If a hit film comes out here, they immediately buy the rights to do it in Hindi,” says Akshai.
Akshai further adds, “Sundeep Kishan fits the role perfectly. But it is actor Navdeep, playing a 45-year-old middle-aged person, who is a big surprise.”
The film is a modern love story. “It’s about relationships and we hope that we have narrated it in an emotional way,” he concludes.
