Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, who is known for his films Arjun Reddy, Kabir Singh, and Animal, spoke candidly about his journey and criticism on an episode of Indian Idol 15. Sandeep credited his family for his success and shared an inspiring story with a contestant.
“My family’s support has been crucial. I once challenged my mother that I would become a director before I spent the 2 lakhs I earned in Sydney working at McDonald’s and Subway while I was in film school,” he said.
He revealed that his family initially expected him to pursue engineering or medicine, but when he didn’t get enough marks for MBBS, he studied physiotherapy. However, his real passion was photography, which led him to film school in Sydney. It took him 6-7 years after completing his studies to become a director.
When Shreya Ghoshal asked if his family supported his decision to attend film school, Sandeep shared, “My family was very supportive, especially my mother, who helped with the fees for film school and the production of Arjun Reddy. I went to many producers with the idea, but nothing worked out, and then we decided to produce it ourselves.”
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Addressing criticism that his films don’t focus enough on mother roles, Sandeep explained, “I’ve been criticized for not giving enough importance to the mother’s role in my films, but I’ve realized that in real life, I am much more attached to my mother. But since we don’t have any complaints in that relationship, there is no drama there or any angst that compels me to write about it. If I ever make a mother-son story, it will be very positive, nothing dark and only good vibes.”
Sandeep appeared on the show to celebrate the one-year anniversary of his film Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor, and Bobby Deol. While the film performed well at the box office, it received mixed reviews, with some critics calling it misogynistic.
Looking ahead, Sandeep is set to direct Spirit, a cop story featuring Prabhas. The film, which is rumored to star Don Lee, is yet to begin production.
