Sandeep Reddy Vanga Says ‘A’ Rating Hurt His Films at the Box Office

Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, known for his intense films, all three of which received an ‘A’ certificate from the censor board, recently shared his thoughts on certification challenges and the impact they have on a film’s revenue. His comments came during a promotional interview for Kingdom, a film starring Vijay Deverakonda and directed by Gautham Tinnanuri.

The interaction featured Sandeep alongside Vijay and Gautham as part of the build-up to Kingdom’s theatrical release on July 31. The trio discussed the film’s censor process and how certification decisions can influence a film’s reach, especially among younger audiences.

Sandeep revealed he had already watched around 45 minutes to an hour of Kingdom and felt the film should comfortably secure a U/A certificate. Vijay, however, raised concerns about the violence in the second half, wondering if it might attract an ‘A’ certificate. In response, Sandeep explained that violence alone doesn’t necessarily lead to an ‘A’ rating. He believes Kingdom focuses on themes of brotherhood, with Satyadev playing Vijay’s brother, and has strong emotional depth that should align with a U/A certification.

Drawing from his own experience, Sandeep pointed out that his films have consistently been rated ‘A’, which, according to feedback from distributors, has led to noticeable revenue losses. This is despite the fact that those films became major box office blockbusters.

With Spirit in the pipeline, many are watching to see if this marks a shift in Sandeep’s approach. In the same conversation, he shared a brief update on Spirit, his upcoming project with Rebel Star Prabhas. He confirmed that the shoot is set to begin in September and will be carried out on a non-stop schedule.