Rashmika Mandanna, Shiva Nirvana Praise ‘Epic’; Anand Deverakonda Calls It a Beautiful, Emotional Film
The trailer of ‘Epic – First Semester’, starring Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya, was unveiled on Friday at a grand event attended by National Crush Rashmika Mandanna and director Shiva Nirvana as chief guests. Directed by debutant Aditya Hasan, the film is produced by Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya under Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas. The film is set for a theatrical release on September 11, with premieres scheduled for September 10.
The trailer introduces Anand as a young man aspiring to become a filmmaker. His opening narration about the magic of cinema sets the tone for a story that moves between ambition, relationships, family emotions and the experiences of youngsters living away from home.
The portions featuring Anand and Vaishnavi bring a fresh romantic vibe, while Kalyan Shankar’s presence and dialogues add a youthful, entertaining touch. The trailer gradually shifts gears as the emotional conflicts surrounding the protagonist come into focus.
One of the striking moments comes when Anand’s character gets into an argument with his mother over money and family responsibilities. His emotional response reflects the complicated relationships and pressures faced by youngsters trying to build a life on their own.
The love story also appears to have an emotional core. A conversation about whether couples should end relationships by hurting and blaming each other hints that the film will explore love and separation with sensitivity. The question, “Do you know when a relationship becomes epic?” gives the title an emotional meaning and sets up the film’s central idea.
Rashmika Mandanna, who attended the event as the chief guest, appreciated the trailer and the team behind the film.
She said Anand has always been deeply passionate about cinema and praised the dedication he brings to his work. She also expressed confidence that Vaishnavi would gain considerable recognition through her role as Kadali.
Rashmika said she felt proud watching debutant director Aditya Hasan and praised Hesham Abdul Wahab’s music. She also mentioned her happiness at meeting Shivaji at the event.
With the film releasing on September 11 and premieres beginning on September 10, Rashmika said she would watch the film along with the team and wished the entire cast and crew a tremendous success.
Anand thanked everyone who attended the trailer launch, with a special mention of Rashmika for coming to support the film.
Explaining the title, he said life is filled with moments that become unforgettable — particularly those difficult situations where a partner stands by you with a hug, a kiss or simple emotional support. Those, he explained, are the moments that become “epic.”
Anand believes the film will feel personal to audiences because of its emotional honesty.
“New directors bring fresh ideas,” he said, praising Aditya’s ability to closely observe people and their lives. According to Anand, the film could feel almost like therapy because audiences may see their own experiences reflected on screen.
Calling ‘Epic’ a beautiful film, Anand expressed confidence that it would surprise audiences. He described it as a story that could feel like a blend of the emotional romance of ‘Ye Maaya Chesave’ and the youthful charm of ‘Premalu’.
He also praised Vaishnavi’s performance as Kadali, saying she has done an exceptional job and deserves to reach greater heights.
Vaishnavi thanked Rashmika Mandanna and Shiva Nirvana for attending the event and expressed her happiness about continuing her association with Sithara Entertainments.
She described Aditya Hasan as both a favourite director and a close friend, crediting him for believing that she could bring Kadali to life.
Vaishnavi also praised cinematographer Azeem Mohammed for presenting the actors beautifully and Hesham Abdul Wahab for his music.
Speaking about Anand, with whom she previously worked in ‘Baby’, she said one of the qualities she admires most about him is that he has remained the same person despite his growing success.
She added that Anand genuinely feels happy when people around him grow and expressed confidence that Kalyan Shankar would receive plenty of appreciation through ‘Epic’.
Actor Shivaji thanked Aditya Hasan and Naga Vamsi for giving him an important role in the film. He credited Aditya for creating the world of ‘Epic’ and joked about how many of the situations in the film were inspired by the director’s own experiences.
Shivaji said he now wants to choose characters that stay with audiences long after they leave the theatre. For him, the quality of the story remains as important as the significance of his role.
He revealed that the film contains considerably more emotion than what has been shown in the trailer and stressed that ‘Epic’ is not exclusively a Gen Z story.
According to Shivaji, the film will connect with audiences across generations, particularly youngsters studying abroad and the families waiting for them back home.
He also teased an emotional climax and urged audiences to watch the film in theatres on September 11, adding that the second chapter would be on another level.
Director Aditya Hasan said the trailer may have come as a cultural shock to some viewers, particularly because of the contrast between the 90s world he comes from and the contemporary elements explored in the film.
However, he clarified that the unusual moments were not included simply for attention. The film, he said, has a strong emotional foundation that audiences will understand once they watch it.
Aditya expressed gratitude to Anand, Vaishnavi, Shivaji, Vasuki and the entire cast for their performances. He also praised Hesham Abdul Wahab’s songs and background score, while highlighting Azeem Mohammed’s visuals.
The director hopes ‘Epic’ will become a memorable film for audiences.
Director Shiva Nirvana praised the emergence of a new generation of young filmmakers and singled out Aditya’s writing as one of the major strengths of ‘Epic’.
He pointed out that Anand and Vaishnavi’s previous combination in ‘Baby’ was a major success, but appreciated Aditya for bringing the pair together again without making ‘Epic’ resemble their earlier film.
Shiva Nirvana also complimented the film’s visuals and said it should connect particularly well with Gen Z audiences. He praised Hesham’s music and expressed happiness over Anand’s journey as an actor.
He also spoke warmly about Vaishnavi’s growth and Shivaji’s recent performances.
Concluding his speech, Shiva Nirvana wished for theatres to be filled with energy when ‘Epic’ arrives and hoped the film would achieve great success.
Director Shailesh Kolanu praised Aditya Hasan’s writing and said the director’s name itself is enough reason for him to watch the film on the first day.
He said he has a strong liking for the 90s setting and believes ‘Epic’ once again brings the flavour of that world in an interesting manner.
Shailesh appreciated Anand and Vaishnavi’s pairing and wished them another major success after ‘Baby’. He also praised the visuals and Hesham Abdul Wahab’s music.
Kalyan Shankar said he immediately connected with the story when Aditya narrated it to him.
He expressed confidence that ‘Epic’, featuring Anand and Vaishnavi, would achieve an even bigger success than ‘Baby’.
Kalyan also spoke about his experience working with Shivaji and praised Aditya for continuing to put in maximum effort right until the final stage of the film.
Director Vinod Anantoju revealed that he has already watched ‘Epic’ and praised Aditya Hasan’s writing and direction.
According to him, the film maintains its entertainment quotient while also delivering strong emotional moments. He particularly highlighted Vaishnavi’s character and said the film offers an experience that audiences have not seen in quite some time.
Vinod also recalled his earlier association with Anand through ‘Middle Class Melodies’, which had to take the OTT route because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Renowned director Sai Marthand praised both Anand and Vaishnavi for their performances and singled out Shivaji’s work in the climax.
He also referred to Aditya Hasan’s earlier work ‘Little Hearts’ and expressed hope that ‘Epic’ would surpass its success.
Music director Hesham Abdul Wahab thanked the Telugu industry for continuing to give him opportunities and expressed gratitude to Aditya for bringing him on board for ‘Epic’.
He said the film has shaped up beautifully and praised Anand and Vaishnavi for their performances.
Hesham signed off by hoping that the film would achieve an “epic” success worthy of its title.
Director Srinivas Gavireddy said the teaser had already received an encouraging response and felt that the trailer had raised expectations further.
He predicted that ‘Epic’ could emerge as one of the memorable romantic stories in the industry and said both Kadali and Aditya would remain memorable to audiences.
With its youthful romance, emotional family drama, overseas backdrop and a fresh directorial voice, ‘Epic – First Semester’ is now gearing up for its theatrical release on September 11.
Cast: Anand Deverakonda, Vaishnavi Chaitanya, Shivaji, Vasuki, Rohan and others
Technical Crew:
Banner: Sithara Entertainments, Fortune Four Cinemas
Producers: Suryadevara Naga Vamsi & Sai Soujanya
Writer & Director: Aditya Hasan
Music: Hesham Abdul Wahab
Cinematography: Azeem Mohammed
Editor: Naveen Nooli
Production Designer: Avinash Kolla
PRO: LakshmiVenuGopal
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