‘Mithra Mandali’ is an Enjoyable Ride for Everyone, says Producers Kalyan Manthina and Bhanu Pratapa

Starring Priyadarshi and Niharika NM in lead roles, Mitra Mandali is directed by Vijayender, presented by Bunny Vas, and produced by Kalyan Manthina, Bhanu Pratap, and Dr. Vijeyender Reddy Theegala. The film is all set for a grand release on October 16. Ahead of the release, the producers shared their experiences, and memories from the making of the film in an interaction with the media.

The Journey of ‘Mithra Mandali’

“Bunny Vas is a good friend of ours. We worked with him for a long time at Geetha Arts, on films like ‘Kotabommali PS’, ‘Aay’, ‘Thandel’, and ‘Single’. Bunny Vas garu was travelling with this story for many years and asked both of us to listen to it,” shared the producers. Kalyan Manthina, who is primarily busy with business ventures, and Bhanu Pratapa were planning to start a production company, which is when they heard the script. “We loved the story immediately. The film provides non-stop entertainment from start to finish. We are starting with this movie along with two other projects. We owe this story to Vasu garu,” they stated

On the Director and Scripting Process

Praising the director, they said, “Vijayender.s is a great director. He has worked with directors like Anudeep, ‘Mad’ Kalyan, and Aditya Hasan. He came to us with the complete script. The way he executed the film is just as amazing as the way he wrote it. It didn’t feel like a debut film.” The producers also revealed their involvement in the script. “We started a writers’ room first, and stories like ‘Aay’ and ‘Thandel’ were born there, which is why we acted as co-producers for those films. We are involved in the script until it reaches a certain level.”

Your involvement as producers

We always stay actively involved in the creative process. We even started a writers’ room earlier, and stories like Aye and Thandale emerged from that. Until the script reaches a perfect stage, we make sure to contribute our thoughts and ideas.

First experience as producers

As first-time producers, the journey has been very enriching. We constantly discussed ideas, shared suggestions, and made collective decisions. Naturally, there were creative differences at times, but our focus always remained on making the best film possible.

On Brahmanandam’s role

Brahmanandam garu’s role is one of the highlights of Mitra Mandali. Interestingly, the “Jambar Gimbar Lala” song was not planned initially. After the film’s completion, we felt something was missing. So, we decided to shoot this fun song with Brahmanandam garu — and it turned out to be a delightful addition. He loved the lyrics and had a great time during the shoot.

On Priyadarshi and Niharika’s characters

The film is set in a fictional town called Jangli Pattanam, created by the director. The characters and situations from this town are highly entertaining and relatable, especially for the youth. Niharika plays a satirical and witty character, which suits her perfectly. When Allu Aravind garu saw her for the role, he immediately approved the choice.

Releasing During Diwali competition

The Diwali season always brings multiple big releases. But audiences have always supported good content. We believe Mithra Mandali will stand out as a wholesome entertainer during the festive season.

Future projects

We plan to explore all genres. After this comedy entertainer, we’re gearing up for a horror project next. Our focus will always be on strong stories — whether small or big, the content will take priority over scale.

Mithra Mandali promises to be a youthful, humorous, and thought-provoking entertainer with strong performances and refreshing storytelling. The film releases worldwide on October 16.