Sundeep Kishan: ‘The day I think I have done my best film, I might even say thank you and move out’

Sundeep Kishan discusses his career, upcoming film Mazaka, and future projects in the evolving Telugu film industry.

The recent successes of Telugu filmsSankranthiki Vasthunam and Thandel signal a shift in audience preferences towards feel-good comedies and romantic dramas, a welcome change after an overdose of action films. Riding this wave is Mazaka, directed by Trinadha Rao Nakkina, which releases on February 26, coinciding with the Maha Shivaratri holiday. Lead actor Sundeep Kishan describes it as “a popcorn entertainer for family audiences.”

Marking his 30th film, Sundeep reflects on the industry’s evolving landscape. “I’m glad audiences are embracing comedies and romances again. When I signed Mazaka over a year ago, this wasn’t the case. I trusted my intuition because I loved the story.”

Throughout his 16-year career, Sundeep says he has consciously avoided following trends. “When everyone is doing action films, I might choose a comedy. That has helped me carve my own space. For instance, when we (director Vi Anand and I) were working on Ooru Peru Bhairavakona, the horror-drama genre wasn’t widely explored. Then Virupaksha released before us and became a massive hit. Still, our film ran for four weeks in theatres, and I noticed strong appreciation, particularly from women. That made me realise I hadn’t done a family entertainer in a while.”

Mazaka marks a refreshing change for Sundeep Kishan after the intense action of Michael in Telugu and Captain Miller and Raayan in Tamil. “It was nice to step onto a set without being covered in dust and blood,” he laughs. “I enjoyed being part of an entertaining story that doesn’t rely on visual spectacle.”

This film is his first collaboration with director Trinadha Rao Nakkina, as well as actors Ritu Varma and Anshu. However, Mazaka is not just about romance — it also explores a father-son dynamic, with Rao Ramesh playing a man in his 50s who finds love again. “If this scenario — where a man decides to remarry after being alone for 20 years — unfolded in an aristocratic setting, it might not seem unusual. But in a lower middle-class household, does the equation change?” Sundeep explains. “When Prasanna (writer Prasanna Kumar Bezawada) narrated the story, I was hooked by the fun way he tackled this situation. He enacts every character when narrating, and I could tell this would be a film with great entertainment value. I’m confident it will be a sure-shot success.”

Emphasising the film’s family-friendly appeal, Sundeep promises “clean humour” that everyone can enjoy. One of the highlights of Mazaka is his on-screen rapport with veteran actor Rao Ramesh. “We didn’t rehearse much, but oddly, we were in perfect sync. He has incredible comic timing, and we just clicked,” he says.

Mazaka marks Sundeep Kishan’s first release of 2025, following a successful 2024 where his performance in Dhanush’s Raayan earned him widespread appreciation. “Last year was immensely gratifying with both Raayan and Ooru Peru Bhairavakona,” he reflects. “For most of my career, I haven’t received much consistent recognition, but I’ve never complained,” he admits, pausing to reflect. “Appreciation came in phases — after Prasthanam, Maanagaram (Tamil), and Venkatadri Express — but it was never steady. I always believed my efforts would pay off one day. The response to Raayan was overwhelming; it brought me a lot of peace.”