Vivek Athreya's written and directed romantic comedy film Ante Sundaraniki completed 3 years. The film, starring Natural Star Nani and Nazriya Nazim in the lead roles, was released in theatres on 10 June 2022.
With an estimated box office collection of ₹45 crore against a budget of ₹30 crore, the film did not achieve profitability and was deemed a commercial failure. The film was produced by Naveen Yerneni and Yalamanchili Ravi Shankar under the banner of Mythri Movie Makers and distributed in Kerala by E4 Entertainment.
The film was made available for streaming on the OTT platform Netflix on 8 July 2022 in Telugu, alongside its dubbed versions in Tamil and Malayalam. The film marked the Telugu debut of Nazriya Nazim in a lead role
The film features a strong supporting ensemble including seasoned actors like Naresh, Rohini, Nadhiya, Azhagam Perumal, Harsha Vardhan, Prudhvi Raj, Aruna Bhikshu, Tanvi Ram, Rahul Ramakrishna, Srikanth Iyengar, Venkatesh Maha, and Pavitra Lokesh.
Ante Sundaraniki marked the 3rd directorial venture of Vivek Athreya after Mental Madhilo and Brochevarevarura. The film marked director Vivek Athreya's maiden collaboration with Nani and Nazriya Nazim. The film marked the maiden collaboration between Nani and Nazriya Nazim
Niketh Bommireddy handled the Cinematography of this film marking his maiden collaboration with director Vivek Athreya. Ravi Teja Girijala edited this film marking his 2nd collaboration with director Vivek Athreya after Brochevarevarura
Vivek Sagar composed the music for this film, marking his 2nd collaboration with director Vivek Athreya after Brochevarevarura. Ante Sundaraniki marked the 28th film for Natural Star Nani in a lead role.
Though Ante Sundaraniki underperformed at the box office, I genuinely feel Nani should explore more romantic comedies. The film had a great story, and both Nani as Sundar and Nazriya Nazim as Leela delivered beautiful performances. Their on-screen chemistry was top-notch, and the comedy worked really well throughout.
There’s no doubt that Nani is excelling in every role he takes on these days. However, he seems to be gravitating more toward action-oriented films — possibly because audiences have recently shown a growing affinity for the genre. Barring Hi Nanna, his last three films — Dasara, Saripodhaa Sanivaaram, and HIT: The Third Case — all fall within the action segment. Even his upcoming film The Paradise continues in that direction.
The film feels tailor-made for audiences who enjoy character-driven rom-coms — a genre that consistently thrives on streaming platforms. Had it premiered now, in a time when audiences are more receptive to unconventional stories and slower burns via OTT, Ante Sundaraniki could have achieved cult status sooner.
In today’s binge-watching culture, the rewatchability, quirky storytelling, and cultural contradictions between the characters would have sparked plenty of online discussions, giving it the viral momentum that theatrical runs often fail to generate for such offbeat narratives.
Q: Who directed the romantic comedy film Ante Sundaraniki?
A: Vivek Athreya’s romantic comedy film Ante Sundaraniki
completed 3 years. He both wrote and directed the film.
Q: When was Ante Sundaraniki released in theatres and who
were the lead actors?
A: The film was released in theatres on 10 June 2022, with
Natural Star Nani and Nazriya Nazim in the lead roles.
Q: Was the film commercially successful at the box office?
A: Despite earning an estimated ₹45 crore against a budget
of ₹30 crore, Ante Sundaraniki was deemed a commercial failure and didn’t
achieve profitability.
Q: Who produced the film and under which banner?
A: The film was produced by Naveen Yerneni and Yalamanchili
Ravi Shankar under the banner of Mythri Movie Makers. It was distributed in
Kerala by E4 Entertainment.
Q: When and where did the film premiere digitally?
A: Ante Sundaraniki premiered on Netflix on 8 July 2022 in
Telugu, along with its dubbed versions in Tamil and Malayalam.
Q: Who were some of the notable supporting actors in the
film?
A: The film featured an impressive supporting ensemble
including Naresh, Rohini, Nadhiya, Azhagam Perumal, Harsha Vardhan, Prudhvi
Raj, Aruna Bhikshu, Tanvi Ram, Rahul Ramakrishna, Srikanth Iyengar, Venkatesh
Maha, and Pavitra Lokesh.
Q: What milestones did the film mark for its cast and crew?
A: It was Nani’s 28th film in a lead role and Nazriya
Nazim’s Telugu debut in a lead role. The film marked the first on-screen
collaboration between Nani and Nazriya, and the first collaboration between
them and director Vivek Athreya.
Q: What about the technical crew — who handled
cinematography, editing, and music?
A: Niketh Bommireddy handled the cinematography, marking his
maiden collaboration with Vivek Athreya. Editing was done by Ravi Teja Girijala
— their second collaboration after Brochevarevarura. Music was composed by
Vivek Sagar, also marking his second team-up with the director.
Q: Despite its box office result, how was the film received
in terms of performances and storytelling?
A: While it underperformed commercially, Ante Sundaraniki
was appreciated for its strong story, humorous writing, and excellent
performances. Nani and Nazriya’s chemistry stood out, and the comedy resonated
well with viewers.
Q: Could Ante Sundaraniki have performed better in today's
OTT-friendly market?
A: Very likely. In today’s OTT-driven era, where
character-driven and offbeat rom-coms often thrive, Ante Sundaraniki could have
reached cult status much faster. The film’s rewatchable nature, quirky
storytelling, and cultural nuances are ideal for the digital space, where
audiences now actively seek unconventional narratives. Its release today could
have sparked widespread online discussions and found a broader, more engaged
audience.
0 Comments