Speaking at a media interaction, Nani said the response to “The Paradise” after its release has been overwhelming and unlike anything he has experienced in recent times.
“The response after the release of ‘The Paradise’ came like a storm. Whoever I meet, wherever I go, there is only one topic, the success of ‘The Paradise’,” Nani said.
Mohan Babu also praised director Srikanth Odela and producer Sudhakar Cherukuri at the media interaction.
“I have seen only one or two producers who put their complete trust in a director and produce a film. Our guru Dasari Garu also had producers who placed such faith in him. Now, Sudhakar Cherukuri has placed the same trust in Srikanth. The industry needs producers like Sudhakar, and I wish him a long and successful journey,” Mohan Babu said.
He added that Srikanth narrated the story to him with great confidence and in a way that was easy to understand. “I have acted in more than 500 films in my long career, but playing a terrifying character like Sikandar Malik was a first for me. I never imagined that Srikanth would present me in such a frightening manner. He is also the director who made me do the most takes in my career,” he said.
Mohan Babu further praised Srikanth as an extraordinary filmmaker, saying that that Srikanth would become one of the top directors in the country.
Nani said several aspects of “The Paradise” were new experiences for the entire team, right from the filmmaking process and locations to the decision to release the film without a theatrical trailer.
“We thought we were making a new kind of film and giving audiences a new experience. But we never expected the response to be this new as well. On release day, the response started one way during the premieres, but it kept getting better with every show. I haven’t seen this kind of response in recent times,” Nani said.
He also credited the entire team for the film’s reception. “This is not a hero film. It is impossible to say that only the hero worked hard on it. I personally saw how much everyone worked, including those who played even the smallest roles,” he said.
Nani praised producer Sudhakar Cherukuri for standing firmly by the team despite the challenges during production. He also said that “The Paradise” would remain a special film in the producer’s filmography.
Speaking about Priyadarshi’s performance as Shankaranna, Nani said, “The response to Priyadarshi’s character has been extraordinary everywhere. He is a terrific performer, and I would love to work with him in more films.”
Nani also spoke fondly about Mohan Babu. “Since my childhood, I have loved Mohan Babu Garu’s films and his acting. ‘Assembly Rowdy’ and ‘Pedarayudu’ are among my favourite films. After working with him, I understood what a wonderful person he is. He is a beautiful human being.”
Concluding his comments, Nani once again described the response to “The Paradise” as a storm.
“Everything that happened after the release happened like a storm. Whoever I meet, wherever I go, there is only one topic, the success of ‘The Paradise’. Congratulations to everyone. ‘The Paradise’ is the film that has created the most noise in 2026,” he said.
