Ever since the inception of cinema, audiences have always rooted for the underdog — the one who rises against odds and makes us believe that dreams are valid even when they come from nowhere. That’s the essence of heroism: doing something difficult, yet deeply human. The most celebrated stories in cinema are built around that sentiment.
As actor Pradeep Ranganathan recently said when asked why people celebrate him, “They see themselves in me.” That relatability is the key to stardom, especially in Indian cinema, and more so in the Telugu film industry, where dynastic legacies and godlike fandoms often dictate careers. In such a landscape, outsiders managing a breakthrough are rare.
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There was Konidela Shiva Shankara Vara Prasad, who rose to become Chiranjeevi, the ‘Godfather’ of Telugu cinema.
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