Rajendra Prasad: Films like Anukoni Prayanam don't come by frequently, I'm proud to be a part of it

Actors Rajendra Prasad, Prema and Narasimha Raju are teaming up for an emotional friendship drama Anukoni Prayanam, helmed by director Venkatesh Pediredla, a debutant. A medico DY Jagan Mohan has penned the story and bankrolled the film under Apple Creations while it's presented by the well-known producer Bekkem Venugopal. Ahead of its theatrical release this Friday, the film's pre-release event was held in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday amidst the cast and crew.

"I always believe that you need young energy to tell new stories. Jagan Mohan and Venkatesh Pediredla came to me with one such novel story. In my 45-year-old film career, Anukoni Prayanam holds a special place in my heart. The film has entertainment and emotions in abundance. Aa Naluguru, an offbeat film, too ran for 100 days in theatres. I've been a part of many such experiments in my career and audiences have always stood by me," Rajendra Prasad.

"All the characters in Anukoni Prayanam, including that of Narasimha Raju, will linger on your mind long after the film's over. Films like these don't come by frequently and we need to cherish such attempts at the time of their release. I wholeheartedly thank the entire team involved with the project. I'm confident it'll resonate with audiences," the Ladies Tailor, April 1 Vidudala actor added. 

Devi, Ganesh fame actress Prema, who returns to Telugu cinema after a sabbatical, stated, "I said yes to a film after a long time because I liked the character. I thank the director and the producer for the opportunity. It was a pleasant experience working with Rajendra Prasad garu and I learnt a lot from him. Anukoni Prayanam is made with a lot of sincerity and honesty and I hope you all like it."

Narasimha Raju, who's worked with Chiranjeevi and Rajendra Prasad in two films, said that the common link that binds them together is their discipline and determination. "We completed the film without any hassles. Rajendra Prasad had a bad fall in the middle of the shoot but continued to work on the film. Anukoni Prayanam is a film that the entire family can watch. The crew is full of youngsters and they did justice in their area of expertise."

Venkatesh Pediredla conveyed his gratitude to Rajendra Prasad and the producer for going ahead with the story immediately and supporting him. "We got good responses for the premieres. There are enough fun elements in the film and it was only possible because of Rajendra Prasad's presence. This is a film that needs someone as experienced as him. I consider myself fortunate to have directed him and Narasimha Raju in the same film."

The producer Jagan Mohan DY thanked the lead actors and the crew for ensuring a hassle-free shoot. Composer Siva Dinavahi was also part of the event. Ravi Babu, Tulasi, Subhaleka Sudhakar, Narayanarao, Ananth, Prabhas Srinu, Rangasthalam Mahesh, Jogi Brothers, Dhanraj, Kancharapalem Kishore, Gemini Suresh and Thagubothu Ramesh too essay important roles in the drama set amidst COVID-19 lockdown.