Vijay Deverakonda, Sandeep Reddy Vanga Praise ‘EPIC – FIRST SEMESTER’

  Vijay Deverakonda, Sandeep Reddy Vanga Praise ‘EPIC – FIRST SEMESTER’ at Grand Pre-Release Event

Vijay Deverakonda Calls It a Beautiful Addition to Anand’s Filmography; Sandeep Reddy Vanga Applauds Aditya Hasan’s Writing; Naga Vamsi Says the Film Can Be Enjoyed by the Entire Family

The excitement surrounding ‘EPIC – FIRST SEMESTER’ has reached a new high ahead of its theatrical release on September 11, 2026. Starring the popular ‘Baby’ pair Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya, the youthful romantic entertainer is directed by Aditya Hasan, who earned widespread recognition with the successful web series ‘90s’.

Presented by Srikara Studios, the film is produced by Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya under the banners of Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas.

The combination of Anand Deverakonda, Vaishnavi Chaitanya and Aditya Hasan has generated strong interest among youngsters and family audiences alike. A grand pre-release celebration was held at Daspalla Hotel, Hyderabad, on Tuesday, with Vijay Deverakonda and filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga attending as chief guests.

Vijay Deverakonda: ‘EPIC’ Will Be a Memorable Film for Anand

Vijay Deverakonda expressed his happiness over Anand Deverakonda’s choice of scripts and said he believes ‘EPIC – FIRST SEMESTER’ will become an important film in his career.

He praised Aditya Hasan’s work in ‘90s’, recalling how he had been looking forward to the filmmaker’s first feature after being impressed by his earlier work. Vijay also showered praise on Vaishnavi Chaitanya and said Anand was fortunate to collaborate with Aditya for his directorial debut.

Having enjoyed ‘90s’, Vijay said he expects ‘EPIC’ to connect strongly with audiences and emerge as a major success. He also noted that Telugu cinema is currently witnessing an exciting period, with several promising films lined up for release.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga Praises Aditya Hasan’s Screenwriting

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga recalled meeting Anand during the promotions of ‘Arjun Reddy’ in the US, when Anand was working in the IT sector. He said Anand’s passion for cinema was evident even then.

According to Sandeep, Anand has a natural ability to adapt himself to different characters, while Vaishnavi has grown tremendously as an actor.

Speaking about Aditya Hasan, Sandeep said he was impressed by the writing of ‘90s’, adding that it never felt like the work of a first-time writer. He also praised the ‘EPIC’ teaser and trailer and appreciated the music composed by Hesham Abdul Wahab.

He concluded by wishing the entire team a successful theatrical run.

Anand Deverakonda: ‘This Is a Story That Belongs to Our Generation’

Anand Deverakonda described ‘EPIC’ as a deeply relatable story that captures the emotions faced by youngsters while navigating love, family and responsibility.

He said the film explores the period of life when people begin balancing relationships and personal responsibilities, presenting those experiences in a natural and uncomplicated manner.

According to Anand, ‘EPIC’ does not depend on a conventional villain or unnecessary dramatic elements. Instead, it focuses on the emotions and conversations between its characters.

He expressed confidence that audiences would identify with the situations in the film and enjoy it with friends, partners and family.

Vaishnavi Chaitanya on Playing ‘Kadali’

Vaishnavi Chaitanya thanked the chief guests for being part of the event and spoke about the significance of her role.

She said she admired Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s work and was excited to portray a strong female character in ‘EPIC’.

Talking about her character Kadali, Vaishnavi explained that the name means ‘sea’ and that the role helped her understand the importance of being confident, resilient and standing up for herself.

She also praised Anand’s honesty as a performer and said that quality can be seen in his performance in the film as well.

Naga Vamsi: ‘EPIC’ Is Made for Family Audiences

Producer Suryadevara Naga Vamsi highlighted the film’s realistic approach to relationships.

He said the movie avoids stereotypical family conflicts and instead focuses on the everyday issues and misunderstandings that can arise between young couples and between parents and children.

Naga Vamsi revealed that a significant portion of the film revolves around conversations between Anand and Vaishnavi’s characters. He believes the audience’s response to those conversations will play a major role in determining the film’s success.

He further described the film as the story of a soft-spoken young man from rural Telangana who falls in love with a confident girl, while also touching upon the importance of understanding and respecting one’s partner.

Calling it an emotional and relatable experience, Naga Vamsi confidently stated that ‘EPIC’ is a film audiences can watch comfortably with their families.

Aditya Hasan: ‘The Audience’s Trust Means a Lot’

Director Aditya Hasan spoke about the unexpected response to the film’s trailer.

He said some viewers were surprised to see him explore this kind of story after ‘90s’, while others expressed confidence that the film would offer something different once they watched it completely.

Aditya said this reaction made him realise that audiences have developed trust in his storytelling. He added that his biggest responsibility now is to honour that trust and deliver a film that satisfies them.

He revealed that the story was inspired by the society and people he has observed, while praising Anand and Vaishnavi for bringing their respective characters, Aditya and Kadali, to life.

 Shivaji: ‘Audiences Will Find Their Own Lives in the Film’

Veteran actor Shivaji said the emotions explored in ‘EPIC’ are universal and transcend age and generations.

He described cinema as a combination of memories and emotions and said that ‘EPIC’ brings the two together in an engaging manner.

Shivaji expressed confidence that audiences would recognise aspects of their own lives in the characters and situations depicted in the film. He also praised Anand and Vaishnavi for their performances.

 Hesham Abdul Wahab: ‘EPIC’ Will Always Be Close to My Heart’

Music director Hesham Abdul Wahab said ‘EPIC’ holds a special place in his musical journey.

He recalled that a Vijay Deverakonda film played an important role in the beginning of his Telugu musical career and said working on ‘EPIC’ brought back the excitement of his early days.

Hesham thanked Naga Vamsi, Aditya Hasan, Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya for their support and expressed confidence in the film’s success.

The event was hosted by popular anchor Suma Kanakala. Actor Srinivas Gavireddy, cinematographer Azeem, lyricists Suresh Banisetti and Poornachary, along with other cast and crew members, were also present and extended their best wishes to the film.

‘EPIC – FIRST SEMESTER’ is set for a worldwide theatrical release on September 11, 2026, with premieres scheduled for September 10.