Told a Hit Movie Story to Convince the Heroine: Bellamkonda Suresh

Bellamkonda Suresh, known for producing several blockbuster films, shared intriguing anecdotes about his journey as a producer during a recent interview. Addressing his approach to working with actresses, he stated, “There is a perception that I pay heroines more than their market rate. I consider the craze they bring and how essential they are to my film before deciding.”

Recalling an incident involving actress Ileana, he said, “At one point, Ileana was very busy in the Telugu industry. She declined to work on a project when I approached her. Back then, she charged ₹50 lakhs per film. I offered her ₹1 crore, and she immediately agreed. Sometimes, such decisions are necessary.”

Bellamkonda Suresh also narrated another instance involving actress Shriya Saran. “After the success of Aadi, we planned another film and approached Shriya. She initially said she couldn’t give dates. At that time, she was in Delhi. I travelled there with the script. By the time I reached, it was late, and she was with her mother. I narrated the story to them, and they loved it. They immediately agreed, and I gave her an advance payment on the spot. Later, she completed the film and left.”

Revealing a twist, he said, “The story I narrated to Shriya was actually the story of Aadi, a previous hit under our banner. Eventually, she acted in Chennakesava Reddy instead.” Suresh shared this with a laugh, reflecting on the challenges and tactics of casting leading actresses.