Hyderabad: The 69th SOBHA Filmfare Awards South 2024 proved to be an extraordinary event for the Kannada film industry, particularly for director Hemanth Rao, renowned for his work on Sapta Sagaradaache Ello. Hemanth celebrated a monumental achievement by securing the Best Director award, marking a pivotal moment for Kannada cinema.
His film bagged awards in a total of six categories:
- Best Actor: Rakshit Shetty
- Best Director: Hemant Rao
- Best Actress (Critics' Choice): Rukmini Vasanth
- Best Music Album: Music Director Charan Raj, (Nadiye)
- Best Playback Singer (Male): Kapil Kapilan (Nadiye O Nadiye)
- Best Playback Singer (Female): Srilakshmi Belmannu (Kadalanu Kanha Horatiro)
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Hemanth Rao shared how a real-life incident inspired him to make Sapta Sagaradaache Ello. "In 2016, I witnessed an accident that left a lasting impression on my mind. The incident lingered, inspiring me to create a film based on it. I honed my content, driven by a passion to tell a story that resonates," said the 40-year-old director.
"Never did I imagine that our movie would garner awards in numerous categories. Awards aren't the driving force behind our filmmaking; our goal is to captivate and entertain the audience. Yet, when our work receives recognition like this, it fuels our creativity and motivates us to craft more content-driven movies," said Rao, who also co-wrote National Award-winning Andhadhun.
Hemanth M Rao's win as Best Director underscores his remarkable ability as a storyteller and visionary director, further propelling Kannada cinema to new pinnacles. Sapta Sagaradaache Ello has received accolades for its enthralling storytelling, breathtaking visuals, and powerful performances. In his acceptance speech, Hemanth dedicated the award to his team, particularly acknowledging Rakshit Shetty for having faith in him.
Looking ahead, Hemanth is set to direct a new film titled Bhairavana Koneya Paata, featuring actor Shiva Rajkumar in a lead role. The director mentioned plans to make this movie on a grand scale, with elaborate movie sets, and the team aims to kick off filming by the end of the year.
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