“I grew up in a Telugu-speaking family, even though I spent my early childhood in Thane, Maharashtra. When I was around 10, our family moved permanently to Hyderabad after my father got a high profile job in Abu Dhabi in the year 1982. Hyderabad has been home ever since.
Art caught my attention from a very young age. Whether it was music, painting, photography, or acting, I was drawn to anything creative. My journey into photography began when I was 12, after my father gifted me a Yashica TLR camera. I would experiment with different Kodak 35mm film rolls, trying out various ISO grades, and capturing anything that fascinated me.
Acting also became a part of my life early on. During school, I not only performed but also directed stage plays for the annual day celebrations. While there was an official drama teacher, the management often trusted me to write, direct, and act in my own productions.
After completing my graduation in 1995, I stepped into the emerging world of IT and computer hardware. I started by assembling computers and selling them at the Sunday computer market in Hyderabad. It was a hands-on journey, learning the ropes of business and technology during a time when the IT wave was just picking up.
While my IT career progressed well, the pull towards creativity never left me. In 2005, I decided to actively pursue photography professionally and took up any assignment that came my way. A few years later, I also joined Nishumbita School of Drama to train formally in theatre and learn the intricacies of stage performance.
Since then, I have performed in over 100 theatre plays, portraying a wide range of characters, including mono-acts. One of the most memorable moments in this journey was setting a world record on World Theatre Day in 2022, where our team staged 27 plays non-stop within 24 hours.
Cinema became another chapter in my creative life. I have acted in over 50 films across different genres and also worked closely with directors behind the scenes.
Recently, I have been associated with Output Media, founded by Anshul Sinha, where I worked as an Assistant Director for the film ‘Million Views’ and also mentored young actors who are part of his projects.
Today, I continue to balance my photography career with my love for the theatre arts and movies. Because for me, creativity was never just a hobby — it has always been an inseparable part of who I am.”
- Praveen Kumar Teegala