“I was born and raised in Hyderabad, near RTC X Roads in Baghlingampally. If you know the area, you’ll recognise it as the heart of Telugu cinema. The theatres, the posters, the crowds—the influence of cinema was always present in my life. It was only natural that I, too, would be drawn into it.
Both my maternal and paternal uncles were huge fans of Chiranjeevi garu. So, it comes as no surprise that the first movie I ever watched in a theatre was Adavi Donga in 1985, when I was just two and a half years old. I don’t remember much about that screening, but what stayed with me was the fascination. It was the beginning of something that would go on to define my journey. The real spark, however, was when I watched films like Gang Leader and Rowdy Alludu. That’s when I realised there was something magnetic about films that drew me in completely.
Movies weren’t just entertainment; they were an escape, a space I truly belonged to. They were also my only real form of recreation. I used to watch films regularly, sometimes multiple times a week. Even my studies found their way into cinema. I wasn’t great at maths, and my mom used to struggle to teach me. One day, she placed a bunch of pens and pencils on the table and said, “This is Chiranjeevi. He’s going to kick two of these gundas. How many are left?” That’s how subtraction made sense to me—through Chiranjeevi scenes.
My parents, both working in banks, were practical and supportive. But when I was in 7th grade, something shifted. One day in class, I asked my teacher, “What is this life cycle everyone talks about?” She replied, “Education, job, marriage, children…” and I remember thinking, Is that all? It felt too boxed in.
That same summer during my 7th class, I was in Chittoor. I went to Ram Vilas Sabha, a place linked to Chittoor Nagayya garu, one of the pioneers of Telugu cinema. There, my uncle’s friends were putting up a school play. A boy my age was struggling with his lines, and I jumped in to help him. He played a police officer and nailed it after my guidance. The applause he got gave me my first sense of what performance could mean.
That same spark carried on. I remember watching Thodi Kodallu film on ETV and telling my dad, “I want to get into films. I don’t know how yet, but I want to either act or direct.” By 10th grade, I was involved in cultural and literary competitions. For the 50th anniversary of Indian Independence, our school Telugu teacher wrote a script and asked us to perform it. I didn’t think the script had the punch to win a prize, so I asked my senior to write a new one for the occasion. But the person who was supposed to get the script didn’t show up. Meanwhile, there was another drama that my sub-juniors were rehearsing. I watched them practise, but it was so badly done. So I stepped in, enacted every role, and guided the sub-juniors. We ended up winning third prize, and the sub-juniors I guided won first. That day gave me a taste of what it felt like to make a mark.
In 2001, during my Engineering days, I got to meet Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry garu. One of my friends was an aspiring lyricist, and in that interaction, Sastry garu said something that stayed with me: “Whatever you want to become, that’s good. But is it inherently in you?” I realised then that storytelling was already in me.
During every summer holiday, I was the one telling stories, acting out scenes, and making up scenarios with my cousins. Filmmaking had always been in my system—it just hadn’t taken shape yet.
After finishing my Mechanical Engineering degree, I made a deal with my dad: I’d repay the education loan he took for me before stepping into cinema. I worked at Godrej, then explored different jobs—BPOs, customer service—all with one goal in mind: to clear that loan quickly and focus on films.
In 2006, I joined HSBC. But by 2010, I came across The Secret, a book on the law of attraction. It hit me hard—the idea that if your life isn’t aligned with your true goals, things won’t fall into place.
On January 30th, 2010, I shot four short films in one day with help from friends and family. I couldn’t go back after that—I was already somewhere else in my mind.
That was my wake-up call.
So I decided to quit my job in HSBC and pursue a career in filmmaking. Later I had worked on several other projects, building my path piece by piece.
A major milestone in my journey was working with director Chandra Siddharth garu as Chief Assistant Director for the film, Emo Gurram Egaravacchuga, starring Sumanth. It was an invaluable experience.
In 2015, I took part in a short film competition conducted by director, Puri Jagannath garu, organised by Sakshi Media where we had to make a short film based on any of the ten different themes. I combined all ten and made Jagannatakam, which won the “All in One” award. Puri garu was awestruck with my film and appreciated my efforts. It really meant a lot to me. But my heart was heavy because my father had passed away in 2012—he never got to see any of this. I dedicated that award to him.
Since then, I’ve worked on many scripts, short films, interactive podcasts, and social initiatives. One of the most important projects I had planned was a film on Indian Blind Cricket, but it didn’t materialise due to Covid. I’ve also been associated with several production houses on projects that didn’t move forward for unknown reasons.
Through it all, the unwavering support of my family—especially my mother and my wife, who’s a doctor has kept me going. I’m also grateful to my friends, who continue to support me and stand by me till date.
My love for cinema started with Chiranjeevi garu—not just as an actor but as a human being who inspired me beyond the screen. His commitment to social causes had a great impact on me. I’ve donated blood 103 times so far, and I continue to do so, inspired by his example.
I know my first film is just around the corner. This journey has taken time, but I’ve never stepped away from it. Filmmaking isn’t just a dream—it’s my calling. And I’ll continue to walk this path, one story at a time.”
— Ujwwal, Filmmaker