Why We Think Sekhar Kammula Is The Original Rebel Of Telugu Film Industry!

Contributed by Aravind Jashua There are many young directors like Sekhar Kammula in TFI. Young, educated and passionate about making good and meaningful cinema. And we have extremely creative and talented directors like Vamsee, Krishna vamsee, Ramgopal varma etc. What makes Sekhar special in such an elite club? Let me try to answer. 1. Sekhar has 'no film background'. Many directors who are celebrated as pioneers of good, alternative Telugu cinema, come from families that are already into or associated with film making. Like Chandrasekhar Eleti, RGV, Rajamouli etc. Where as Sekhar Kammula is an 'outsider'. He didn't even assist anybody in direction in Tollywwod. Its his passion for cinema that has driven him.

2. He kept his love for his dream and faith in himself despite being rejected & mocked. Sekhar's first film Anand was mocked by many established directors, a renowned lyricist. The movie didn't go to sets for years. Then he raised the budget from his family and friends. Even after the film was made, releasing wasn't easy. With his finances completely drained out, Sekhar took the biggest risk of his life by releasing it on his own. He is a man of great courage & belief in his own self and his product.

3. Sekhar always swam against the current He once confessed that a famous director of TFI messaged him after seeing Anand "how long will u swim against the current". From writing the stories that are against the trend, by making the film in the locations that are unknown to regular film makers of Telugu film industry, by banking on fresh faces-from lead actors to character artists... Sekhar always showed that he courageous than anybody in the industry. The peaks of his courage was when he released his first film 'Anand' against Chiranjeevi's 'Shanker dada MBBS'. It was a David VS Goliath moment of Telugu film industry.

4. Sekhar is never insecure. Many doesn't know the kind of heart Sekhar got. He gave away his remuneration when producers complained that they didn't make enough of money or the movie production crossed its given budget.

5. Sekhar is impulsive when it comes to standing for what is right from "I care I react" movement to create awareness of respecting women after Nirbhaya's incident- to supporting Venu's 'Needi naadi oke katha' many more small films made by young directors...Sekhar doesn't think twice to stand for what is right or worry about consequences. 6. His films always stand for Gender equality. Be it his good old films, Anand or Godavari to his new films, Anamika or Fidaa, Woman in his movies have a strong role, and great importance to the plot line of the film.

7. Never Afraid To Speak His Heart Out! Recently when actress Sri Reddy allegedly took his name in an FB post, he immediately reacted and gave it back to her, in a way she would never imagine. In fact he even said that he would file a defamation case against her, for spreading false accusations.