KTR praises 'The Paradise' starring Nani for its tribal struggle narrative
Synopsis
BRS chief KTR publicly endorsed Nani's 'The Paradise' after watching it with party legislators — and his pointed praise for a character that resembles KCR, combined with the quote 'You know who that is,' makes this more than a film review. It is a deliberate political signal from an opposition party seeking cultural relevance in Telangana.
Key Takeaways
BRS Working President K.T.
Rama Rao watched 'The Paradise' at Sudharshan Theatre, Hyderabad on Saturday night, 27 September 2026 .
The film stars Nani as a protagonist fighting for recognition of the Savaari tribe , set in the 1980s .
Actor Priyadarshi Pulikonda plays MLA Shankaranna , a character widely seen as resembling BRS chief KCR .
KTR posted on X that the film portrays 'a struggle for existence and a fight against oppression,' congratulating director Srikanth Odela and actor Nani.
Senior BRS leaders including Rajya Sabha member Vaddiraju Ravichandra and former ministers attended the screening.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday night watched a special screening of Nani's latest Telugu film 'The Paradise' at Sudharshan Theatre, RTC X Roads, Hyderabad, and praised the film for powerfully portraying a fight for recognition and survival against oppression. Rama Rao was accompanied by party legislators and former ministers at the event.
What the Film Is About
Set in the 1980s, 'The Paradise' follows the story of the Savaari tribe's fight for recognition, with Nani playing the lead protagonist. The film draws on the historical legacy of Sammakka, the Koya tribal warrior revered for her resistance against oppression. Actor Priyadarshi Pulikonda plays an MLA character named Shankaranna, who vows to champion the tribe's struggle for dignity. The character is widely noted as bearing a resemblance to BRS president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR).
Audience reaction at the Hyderabad screening was enthusiastic — there were loud cheers when scenes featuring Shankaranna, complete with a tilak and distinctive Telangana dialect dialogues, appeared on screen. BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy was reportedly seen throwing confetti towards the screen during those moments.
What KTR Said on X
Taking to social media platform X, Rama Rao — popularly known as KTR — described the film as a portrayal of 'a struggle for existence and a fight against oppression.' He congratulated director Srikanth Odela, writing that the filmmaker had conveyed a powerful message: 'when the moment arises, even blades of grass can transform into crowbars.'
KTR wrote: 'Sincere best wishes to my friend Nani, who truly lived the role of the protagonist. Special congratulations to Priyadarshi.' He also quoted a key dialogue attributed to Priyadarshi's character: 'Even if it means staring death in the face... I will bring you recognition.' He added pointedly, 'You know who that is,' in an apparent nod to the character's resemblance to KCR.
Rama Rao also noted that the film captured Telangana's soil, dialect, and culture 'remarkably well.'
Who Attended the Screening
The gathering at Sudharshan Theatre included prominent BRS figures: Rajya Sabha member Vaddiraju Ravichandra, former ministers Guntakandla Jagadish Reddy and Talasani Srinivas Yadav, and MLAs Dr Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, Kaleru Venkatesh, Bandaru Lakshma Reddy, and Anil Jadhav, among other party leaders.
Political Undertones and Cultural Context
The film's narrative carries clear political undertones, with its sympathetic portrayal of a KCR-like figure resonating strongly with BRS cadres — particularly at a time when the party is in the opposition in Telangana after losing power in late 2023. Notably, the Sammakka legacy invoked in the film holds deep cultural significance in Telangana, frequently cited in the region's political identity discourse. The BRS leadership's public endorsement of the film signals an effort to align the party's narrative with themes of tribal dignity and resistance, issues that have broad electoral salience in the state.
How the film's portrayal of a KCR-like figure shapes public perception ahead of future electoral cycles in Telangana remains to be seen.
Point of View
Not casual — quoting a dialogue from a KCR-like character and signing off with 'You know who that is' turns a film review into a political statement. For a BRS struggling to rebuild its identity after the 2023 Telangana electoral defeat, aligning with a film that celebrates a KCR-esque figure fighting for tribal dignity is a low-cost, high-visibility way to keep the former CM's legacy relevant. What mainstream coverage underplays is that this is also a test of whether cultural soft power — films, tribal identity, Sammakka symbolism — can do political work that the BRS currently cannot do from the legislative benches.
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'The Paradise' Telugu film about?
'The Paradise' is a Telugu film starring Nani, set in the 1980s, that follows the Savaari tribe's fight for recognition drawing on the Sammakka tribal warrior legacy. Actor Priyadarshi Pulikonda plays an MLA character named Shankaranna, who bears a widely noted resemblance to BRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Why did KTR attend a special screening of 'The Paradise'?
BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao watched the film at Sudharshan Theatre in Hyderabad on Saturday night along with party MLAs and former ministers. He subsequently praised it on X, highlighting its themes of tribal struggle and its cultural depiction of Telangana.
What did KTR say about 'The Paradise' on social media?
KTR posted on X that the film portrays 'a struggle for existence and a fight against oppression,' congratulated director Srikanth Odela, and called Nani's performance sincere. He also quoted the line 'Even if it means staring death in the face... I will bring you recognition,' adding pointedly, 'You know who that is.'
Who does Priyadarshi's character Shankaranna resemble in 'The Paradise'?
The character Shankaranna, played by Priyadarshi Pulikonda, is widely seen as a lookalike of BRS president and former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, complete with a tilak and dialogues in the Telangana dialect that drew loud cheers at the Hyderabad screening.
Who directed 'The Paradise' starring Nani?
The film was directed by Srikanth Odela, whom KTR specifically congratulated for conveying a powerful message about social resistance and for his vivid portrayal of Telangana's soil, dialect, and culture.
