Rao Bahadur: One Film That Could Change Two Careers

They say one Friday is what it takes to make or break anyone. It looks like this Friday holds the same stakes are up for men behind Rao Bahadur.

Stayadev has been around for more than a decade in Telugu cinema, holding the reputation fo being one of the finest performer. From supporting roles to acclaimed lead performances in films like Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya, Godse and Zebra to playing antagonist with Megastar Chiranjeevi’s Godfather, he has consistently earned praise for his acting, proving his capabilities beyond every stereotype he was imposed with. Yet, he is still step awat from a a genuine star-making blockbuster.

The stakes are equally high for Venkatesh Maha. With his debut, C/o Kancharapalem, he established himself as one of Telugu cinema’s most distinctive storytellers. He followed it up with Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya during the pandemic, a bold move that further reinforced his reputation for sensitive and grounded filmmaking. However, despite earning widespread critical acclaim, he is yet to enter the league of directors who command large scale commercial projects.

If Rao Bahadur succeeds, Satyadev could finally become the leading star many believe he deserves to be, while Venkatesh Maha could graduate from an acclaimed filmmaker to one of Telugu cinema’s most sought-after directors.