Samantha Debuts as Producer, Highlights Time and Budget Challenges

Renowned actress Samantha, who has made a mark for herself in Indian cinema, has now ventured into film production. Her debut production under her banner Tralala Moving Pictures is titled Shubham, directed by Praveen Kandregula. The film is scheduled for a worldwide release on May 9. In a media interaction held ahead of the release, Samantha shared insights into the film as well as her experiences and challenges as a first-time producer, especially in terms of financial and time-related aspects of filmmaking.

Despite acting in several successful films, Samantha said that taking on the responsibilities of a producer has been a new and eye-opening experience. She pointed out that she has now come to terms with some hard realities of the production world. “As an actor, we only think about our role. But once you become a producer, every single detail becomes your responsibility. Especially when a scene doesn’t turn out as expected or when unexpected hurdles arise during shooting, I now fully understand how much time and money is lost. Only after sitting in the producer's chair did I realize how valuable every minute and every rupee is,” said Samantha, explaining the stress a producer undergoes.

Samantha also recalled how, in the past, she would casually accept a re-shoot when a scene didn’t come out well. “As an actor, I used to take it lightly. But now, as a producer, I have seen first-hand the financial burden and time management challenges involved. If a shot gets delayed, expenses for the location, payments for unit members, and other logistical costs increase significantly. This has been a big lesson for me. I’ve realized how crucial efficient planning and precise execution are for a producer,” she stated, sharing her learnings from the production process.

Supporting New Talent and Story-Driven Content

Samantha said that just as Gautham Menon gave her the first break in her career, she too wanted to encourage new talent, which was a key reason for her entry into production. She mentioned that Shubham features new actresses such as Shreya, Shrāvani, and Shalini, and praised their hard work. She described the story by Vasanth as a social satire revolving around the world of television serials and expressed confidence that the audience would appreciate the concept.

She emphasized that they spent only what the story demanded and avoided any unnecessary extravagance. With Shubham set to hit screens on May 9, Samantha described it as a family-friendly film and appealed to viewers to support and make it a success. She concluded by expressing confidence that the lessons learned from this first attempt as a producer would greatly benefit her future projects.