Upendra, Navdeep & Faria shine on The Rana Daggubati Show

Prime Video’s celebrity talk show, The Rana Daggubati Show, kicks off 2025 with an engaging episode featuring the maverick filmmaker-actor Upendra, the dynamic Navdeep, the talented Faria Abdullah, and actor-producer Sharmiela Mandre. Hosted by Rana Daggubati, the episode delves into Upendra’s daring storytelling style, unconventional cinematic choices, and larger-than-life personality. The candid conversation takes viewers on a journey through his humble beginnings, profound views on love and marriage, and his unique approach to filmmaking.

The episode opens with heartfelt praises from acclaimed director Sandeep Reddy Vanga and actor Navdeep. In a special introductory video, Navdeep draws a parallel between Upendra and Ranbir Kapoor's intense character in Animal, calling him “The OG real wild animal.” Sandeep Reddy Vanga echoes this sentiment, remarking, “He made Om when he was just 22. He was the youngest director in the country at that time. His screenplay felt like a film within a film.”

As the conversation unfolds, Upendra reflects on his modest beginnings, recounting: “I lived in a very tiny house. To earn some money, I made paper covers and sold them to fruit vendors. That’s when I started writing. I approached a director as a writer, and he made me his AD. From there, I moved to becoming a co-director, then director, and finally acting in my own films.”

The episode also offers an intimate glimpse into Upendra’s perspective on love and marriage. In a candid confession, he shares: “Marriage is a great institution. It is so good. I deceived you all by delivering lines like: ‘There is no love. Love is trash.’ Many of you followed it, but very quietly, I got married. I wanted to find out whether there was any truth to what I said. After experiencing it, I am fixed now.”

One of the most intriguing revelations comes when Upendra recalls a unique love scene from his 2002 film Super Star. He shares, “During my trip to Thailand, I saw a tiger and wrote a love scene around it.”

Created, hosted, and executive produced by Rana Daggubati under the banner of Spirit Media, the unscripted Telugu Original eight-episode series features an exciting roster of guests, including Dulquer Salmaan, Naga Chaitanya Akkineni, Siddhu Jonnalagadda, Sreeleela, Nani, S.S. Rajamouli, Ram Gopal Varma, and many more.

New episodes of The Rana Daggubati Show drop every Saturday, with the seventh episode streaming exclusively on Prime Video in India and over 240 countries and territories worldwide on January 4, 2025.